Bonds of Love
by Arigatomina
Summary: Yaoi, fusion with a book, 1x2, Kidnapped by mistake, Duo is determined to drive his cobalteyed captor insane, he never imagines his efforts could lead to love.
1. Default Chapter

Author's Notes: This is a fusion with the book: So Worthy My Love by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. While there will be no text reproduced here, the story line will follow the book's almost exactly, any changes made not too drastic.

Category: Yaoi, AU, Gundam Wing, fusion with a book  
Pairings: will be 1x2, vague hints at 3x4  
Warnings: none  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
Website: www . geocities . com / arigatomina

**Bonds of Love**

_Prologue_

Wind swept through the grass, lifting the blades and making the small boy giggle as he raised his hands. His long, golden brown hair whipped around him and his happy laughter made the man's heart heavier as he stared down at his son.

Not much more than two years old, the child had no idea the loss he'd suffered and the man knew he only remembered the happiness he'd had in the place. He was no doubt waiting for a smiling woman with shining eyes to come and lift him into the air.

Gazing at the soft clouds that moved across the sky, Ramsey hid his sigh as he thought of her, his eyes burning suddenly. He'd come to the place for the sake of his boy since he knew there would be no happiness found in their home. It was empty without her and while he couldn't fight his grief, he wanted to keep it from the sweet boy.

His eyes closed as he saw her in his mind, and tears trailed down his cheeks to be caught by his thick mustache and beard. She was so young he'd never thought such a thing would be possible, yet now she was gone and his life was empty.

The feel of a small hand on his thigh made him blink suddenly, and he was caught by large violet eyes. On his knees, the boy stared up at him, his expression so solemn as his small fingers brushed the wetness on the man's face. Staring at his son, he knew he'd been mistaken, his life wasn't empty at all. Neither moved as the moment seemed to stretch, timeless as their eyes held and in that moment a bond was formed between them.

When the boy blinked, he took him into his arms, holding him close as he knew they would keep each other whole despite their loss. Somehow they would overcome the part of them that was now missing and their bond would hold, stretching over any distance as it was woven with love.

- - -

_Part 1_

_Nov 7, 1585_

The large manor was filled with festivities as minstrels played a lively tune, the guests talking amongst themselves. And there was much to talk about as the wedding had actually taken place earlier that day. Relena Dorlain was finally married and it was a brave man who had risked being her suitor.

It was not just rumors, but facts that all of her previous suitors had met with untimely ends and the lovely girl was said to be cursed. In fact, the last suitor to whom she'd been engaged had not only died but had been branded a traitor to the crown. While no one dared to speak of him, many remembered him since it was his house they were gathered in.

It hadn't been more than a month since the man's death, yet no one felt that the bride was wrong to forget him so soon. After all, he'd attempted to assassinate the queen and only the girl's father had prevented his evil schemes from coming to fruition.

Edward Dorlain had taken a great risk, telling the queen that one of her most favored men had betrayed her. Had it not been for a witness who'd found one of the man's gloves on the scene, he would have gained much trouble. As it was, the queen had been forced to accept the betrayal and she'd stripped Heero Yuy of both his title and his properties.

Justice was served and few saw anything amiss when Edward was given the man's properties, especially since he'd also been betrayed. Had he not found out the man, he might have lost his only daughter to a murderer and a traitor.

The people remembered this, as they mingled in the large hall of what had once been the Yuy manor, but they were comforted with the knowledge that the man had met with justice. Although his scheduled hanging had not occurred, he had been dispatched. Shot during an attempted escape from his prison, he'd fallen into the ocean and thereby ended the curse that had followed Relena for so long.

It was obvious that the bride and groom were happy to be free of this string of luck, as they conversed with their guests and celebrated the joyous occasion with the party Relena's father had thrown for them.

Watching the large multitude that filled his home, Edward was again reminded of the benefits to being a hospitable and generous man. It may have pained him to see so much money spent on the greedy lot enjoying his kindness, but he was well aware that he would be rewarded. With her new husband, his daughter had made a splendid match and he knew the effort would not go unrewarded. He wasn't wrong often, and when he was forced to act as a benefactor, he made certain the rewards were great. It was such thinking that had led him to taking in the child of his foster sister, despite the fact that he was also taking a risk to his own safety.

His eyes moved to where the longhaired figure glided along the walls, gesturing to servants and making certain his goods were not wasted. Yes, he had taken a risk letting the boy hide in his home, but with the guise he was in, there was little chance of anyone recognizing him. Since his father had disappeared, the boy had been forced to flee his home and Edward had welcomed him with open arms.

It was the least he could do since the boy was the only one who might know the whereabouts of the treasure his father had hidden. That was the reason he'd needed a place to hide, and since the boy's features were feminine, Edward had devised an excellent plan to keep him hidden. It was true he would be ostracized if anyone found out who the young servant girl really was, but again, his gain was greater than any loss he would suffer.

The boy looked perfectly female in the clothing he wore and Edward was satisfied with the way he took care of the estate. While he hadn't intended to give charity to the boy, he'd been relieved of the necessity of telling him that as Duo had informed him upon his arrival that he would pay for his own lodgings.

Renting a wing in the manor, he also worked to make certain the servants were obedient, a job that Edward had been completely unable to do. Of course, the fact that they were loyal to the late Heero Yuy explained why they hated the man who'd turned their lord in, but they were still his employees and he expected obedience from them. With Duo, he was ensured that and the boy had proven very useful indeed.

Taking lady-like steps in the dark dress he wore, Duo's eyes moved around the room. He was avoiding the groom's best man and checking on the servants gave him a chance to do so without being rude.

It wasn't easy to maintain control over the people, but Duo had spent years getting used to it as he'd been the head of his own home before his flight. Until his father had disappeared, he'd been in charge of seeing to the household and he'd done so with swift and reasonable control. Servants were hired to do a job and it wasn't unreasonable to expect them to do that task without complaints. And for him, they had, willingly going about their duties. But it was different in his uncle's home, much different.

When the queen had given the manor to Edward, the servants had come with it and as tight-fisted as the man was with his money, he had been unwilling to hire new help. This was the reason Duo's work was hard, because the men and women despised their new lord. But the boy understood their loyalty to a point and when he'd first arrived, he'd tried to be lenient with them. Now he no longer tried, after he'd learned what sort of person they were loyal to. A murderer was not someone who deserved such respect and Duo had no patience for the servants any longer. Instead, he often grew angry with them and he longed to drop his disguise that he might better intimidate them into obeying.

It wasn't that he was cruel or domineering, but they tended to ignore threats given by a woman and as that was what they thought him to be, they often ignored _him_.

Glancing around again, his eyes caught on a man who was leaning over one of the barrels of ale that had yet to be brought to the guests. He wasn't surprised that the man would take the risk of imbibing in his lord's property, but he moved to stop the action. As often as such a thing happened, he still grew angry and he wondered if it was one of the servants he'd caught doing the exact act before. They often repeated their liberties without regard to his warnings since they knew Edward wouldn't dream of firing them. Then he'd have to replace them and he'd never spend his money on such a thing.

As he grew closer to the man, Duo frowned a bit at the brown cloak that covered the figure's head and face, and he was surprised to note that he didn't recognize him. He had all of the trouble-makers pegged, so he came to the conclusion that this must be one of the temporary people brought in for the party. Still, that was no excuse for theft.

His back straightened as he came to stand behind the man, his eyes boring into that bent back.

"Is the wine to your liking?" asked Duo, his voice light and curious.

Turning slowly, the man's eyes glinted from the covering of his hood, part of the cloth held so it hid half of his face and kept the other half shadowed.

"That it be," the man nodded, his voice thick. "I been told to make sure it be to the master's stand'rds and it is, all right."

"And who told you to sample it?" Duo asked, folding his arms over his chest as he eyed the man. He hadn't heard anything about such an order and he seriously doubted the man was speaking the truth.

"Don't know 'is name, but I did just like he told me." The man nodded again, his movements exaggerated by the cloth over his head and he turned back to the barrel.

Certain he had just been dismissed, Duo's back straightened in anger and his violet eyes narrowed.

"I am still talking to you," he said scathingly, determined to be given proper respect. "Unless you can name this _person_, I will not believe you. There will be no stealing in this household and you would do well to learn that now."

"Well, no need to get in a huff, lil' lady. If'n there's somethin' else you want me to do, I'd be right happy to. I just follow the orders I'm given. 'Tho I have to say, the orders were much nicer when Lord Yuy was here instead of that fellow."

"Oh, not that again." Rolling his eyes, Duo shook his head. "I cannot understand why you people are so determined to proclaim that man a saint. Have you forgotten that the Queen herself marked him as a traitor? She chose the better man when she named Lord Dorlain the master of this estate."

"You don't say," the man said, his voice not hiding his humor as he faced the boy. "Well, you might think a bit diff'rntly if you'd actually known 'im."

"And what makes you think I never met him?" Duo asked, raising an eyebrow. "How would you know?"

"Well, I guess I wouldn't, but I don't think you have or you wouldn't be nam'in 'im as a trait'r." The man's eyes sparked from beneath the hood and he nodded suddenly.

"Actually, I haven't met him," Duo admitted, "but that doesn't bother me at all as I have no wish to be acquainted with a murderer."

The man didn't move and Duo suddenly realized he was having an argument with the hired help. He reminded himself why he'd come over to the man and his eyes narrowed as he looked at the barrel standing next to the wall. "None of that matters now, there is plenty of work to be done and that does not include _sampling_ the wine."

"Like I said, I'll do whate'va you tell me to, I don't have no problem followin me orders." He nodded yet again and glanced around. "What'cha be wantin me to do?"

Gesturing to where servants were carrying out more food, Duo's eyes glinted. "Help them, of course. You are here to serve the guests, do so."

"Right, I'll do that."

The man turned toward the kitchen and Duo frowned as he stared at the cloak.

"Why do you wear that?" he asked, not realizing it didn't matter until the question was already out.

"Had me an accident when I was a babe," the man's voice said as he moved toward the kitchen. "It ain't somethin' a lady wants to see."

Duo winced as his creative mind gave pictures of what could be wrong with the man and he suddenly felt bad for having treated him with disdain. Yet, there hadn't been an alternative since any leniency he'd shown in the house had only resulted in the servants acting even more unruly than before.

He stood still as his eyes followed the man, making certain he entered the kitchen. Sighing once the man was soon gone, Duo was about to turn back to the room when an arm was moved around his waist and he stiffened.

"How precious...sweet violet," a low voice said softly, warm breath touching the boy's ear, "Would that I might pluck you and carry you away from here."

Duo's eyes widened in fury and his hands curled into fists as he jerked away. He turned on the man, fully expecting to find the man who'd harassed him earlier. Whether it would be ladylike or not, he had every intention of punching the man. But it didn't happen as his wrists were caught and his blazing eyes met upon a familiar and laughing face.

"Treize?" asked Duo. "What are you _doing_ here?"

His brown eyes glinted, and the man inclined his head as he brought Duo's hand up to his lips and brushed a kiss over it. "At the moment, dear cousin, I'm enjoying the view. I must say, you look positively radiant in a dress. I almost didn't recognize you."

With a warm flush, Duo glared for a moment before shaking his head. "Yeah, well, it's not like I have a choice. Edward said if I'm going to take refuge here then he doesn't want anyone knowing it's me."

"I see. Duo, why--" Treize stopped suddenly and his split eyebrows dropped as he frowned at the long-haired boy. "What name are you going by?"

"Diane."

It was obvious that the boy wasn't very happy with his alias, and Treize smirked, tilting his head to the side as he eyed the boy's dress. "You don't look much like a Diane, but it'll do. As I was saying, I am sorry you were driven out of my house. I assure you, I had no idea my family would seek you out there or I never would have left."

Glancing away from the man, Duo wasn't sure if he should tell him what had happened before he'd decided to go. He'd spent the last year in his father's home, but when his father had disappeared, his uncle's wife had moved herself and her sons in with him. Treize and he had gotten along well until the man had decided to get his own place, but Duo had despised his other kin since the first time they met.

Obsessed with the treasure his father was supposed to have hidden, they had spent their time plaguing Duo and generally tormenting him. They seemed certain that he knew where the treasure was hidden and they'd been determined to get the location from him. As it was, Duo had no idea where the treasure was and he wasn't even sure if it existed since his father had never spoken of such a thing. It had been their presence that had driven him from his own home and he'd been grateful when Treize had taken him in.

He'd been content living with his cousin. Since Duo's uncle had died, Treize had fallen out with his mother and brothers and he'd been only too happy to have the boy stay with him. But the first time he'd had to go away to attend to his affairs, his family had shown up on his doorstep and they'd taken over the house. He'd tried to wait until Treize returned, but Duo had become worried for his very life and he'd had no choice but to seek refuge elsewhere.

Looking up at his tall cousin, Duo sighed. He knew he couldn't tell the man the things his brothers had done. While Treize wasn't as close to them as he might have been, they were still his brothers and Duo didn't want to hurt him with his accusations.

"It's not your fault," Duo said finally, shrugging as if it didn't matter. "They were just so...tenacious. I couldn't stay there."

"Well, you could have at least let me know where you were going," the man smiled, running a hand through his thick reddish-brown hair as he glanced around. "If it hadn't been for Relena's finally getting married, I might never have found you. Although," his eyes glinted as they moved over the boy again, "It's worth it to see you decked out like this."

With a laugh, Duo fought the urge to shove the man. "You would make fun, but it isn't so bad, not really. I'm doing all right."

He glanced around the room and his eyes caught on his uncle Edward's frown. "So you came to see Relena's new husband. It's quite a spectacle, people have come from all around to see it."

"I may have come for her," said Treize, "but the hope that I might find you was also on my mind. I was lost without your lovely presence gracing my home."

Duo smirked, but didn't pay the man's compliments much attention as his eyes again moved to his uncle. He gritted his teeth when the man gestured to him. "I'd better go, Edward's getting anxious and you know he'll be furious that you're here. He still doesn't approve of you."

"Of any of my family," Treize smirked, but he nodded. "That's all right. I think I'll go pay my compliments to the bride."

Leaving the man, Duo threaded his way through the people as he made his way to where his uncle sat against the wall. He could tell from the way the man's brows were lowered that he wasn't happy, but it didn't faze him since the man was rarely happy. When he was standing before the man, he folded his hands in front of him and gave a light smile.

"Did you need something?" asked Duo.

"Why on earth do you waste your time conversing with that no-account?" Edward demanded, frowning as he stared at the boy. "He'll never make anything of himself, and besides, don't you realize people are going to wonder who you are if they see you talking to him? I thought you wanted to hide from your cousins."

"Not from Treize," Duo said slowly.

It was hard not to take offense at the way the man spoke of his friend, but he knew nothing he might say would change Edward. He was too set in his ways.

"It's Une and her other sons that I'm hiding from," said Duo. The man had already been told this, but it seemed he needed constant reminding.

"Well, don't you think Une will find out when her son tells her where you are? Really, _Diane_, you're so simple sometimes." Edward scowled as he could see the boy's left eyelid twitching and he knew anger was eminent, but he didn't care.

"If I'm going to hide you here," said Edward, "you must hold to your act. As Relena's attendant, your job here is to serve her and...when she isn't requiring your help, to take care of the servants. You have no place to be speaking with riff-raff like that Treize."

"Yes, well, I'm sure Treize has no intention of telling his mother where I am," said Duo, his voice strained as he kept a patient smile on his face. "And as for my 'earning my keep', I'll ask you to remember that I'm _paying_ you for my room and board. The rest of the work you've given me as part of my 'role', is done merely as an added benefit to you. I therefore see no reason for you to be angry that I might take time out to speak with my cousin. As I told you, he is not the one I'm hiding from."

"Treize aside," the man said, his eyes narrowing at the boy's manner, "There are other people who would be glad to find out where you are. I am taking a great risk by sheltering you here."

Duo stared at him for a minute before he was calm enough to speak rationally, but his cold tone gave evidence to his anger.

"I _can_ go elsewhere," he said slowly, "if my presence is a bother to you. I have the money my father gave to me and there are other places I could hide that would be much less obvious."

"Now, now," Edward said quickly, "there's no need to talk like that. You know you're welcome here. I simply worry that you'll give yourself away, that's all. And as for your associating with Treize, well, it's your own good that I fear for. You realize that man has quite a reputation with the ladies."

The boy's violet eyes narrowed, but Edward nodded firmly. "Yes he does. In fact, I hear he makes the rounds quite often. I worry that you might be taking a fancy to him and I fear you don't realize his interest is only in your money."

"Put away such fears," Duo murmured, his words heavy with sarcastic sweetness, "Treize is my cousin and my friend and that is all. As for his wanting my money, well, there's no truth to that as I can tell you, he has plenty of money of his own. There's no reason he'd need mine."

His patience had been sorely strained, and he decided the discussion had gone on for long enough. "I believe the guests need more ale, I had better see to it that the servants are doing their job, now hadn't I."

Giving the man a quick and flat smile, he took his leave.

**- - -  
TBC**


	2. Part 2

Author's Notes: This is a fusion with the book: So Worthy My Love by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. While there will be no text reproduced here, the story line will follow the book's almost exactly, any changes made not too drastic.

Category: Yaoi, AU, Gundam Wing, fusion with a book  
Pairings: will be 1x2, vague hints at 3x4/3p4  
Warnings: crossdressing; out of necessity  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
Website: www . geocities . com / arigatomina

**Bonds of Love**

_Part 2_

The party was going very well and the people seemed to be enjoying themselves. Watching as they chose food from the tables and had their glasses refilled, Edward's throat grew dry. He could practically see his wealth diminishing before his eyes and he cursed the masses for taking advantage of his love for his daughter.

While he'd invited many of them, there was a number of faces that he didn't so much as recognize and he was convinced they had come to deplete his offerings. Their greed was plainly obvious to him and he longed for the night to be over so he could send them all on their way and take stock of what little he had left.

His mouth had grown dry with his worry and his eyes widened as he caught sight of a servant refilling a glass for one of the guests. Gesturing to the man, he held up his own glass. "Bring me some of that ale, I've grown parched."

"M'lord." A glint shone from the shadows of the man's hood and he looked down at the wine-sack he held before shaking his head. "I'm afraid I've just run out, I'll be quick to get you some, m'lord."

Turning, he didn't seem to notice Edward's scowl as he disappeared toward the kitchen.

Edward followed the man with his eyes, then he was diverted as he caught a sight that had him standing. He recognized the man speaking to Duo and he winced when he spotted the boy's narrowed eyes, knowing he was turning down the man.

Related to the groom, the man wasn't someone Edward could allow to be insulted and he hurried to intervene before the boy could anger him. As he grew closer, he knew his guess had been right by the way the man was holding Duo's wrist, the boy's violet eyes blazing.

"Truly, sir," Duo said tightly, "I fear I don't know the steps for this dance. I'm afraid I must decline."

He was trying to be polite, he had been since the man had found him again. Unfortunately, the man seemed very determined and Duo was fast becoming impatient with him.

"Diane," said Edward, "William is the brother of Roland."

Staring hard at the boy, Edward tried to express his disapproval without being too obvious. "I'm sure you would love to dance with the brother of Relena's husband."

"No," Duo smiled, glaring at his uncle with deadly cheer. "I really must decline. You see, I am very busy at the moment. If you would rather that I spend my time dancing, I shall of course agree, but the servants would no doubt eat you out of house and home if I were to do so. I'm sure you don't want that."

Edward's stomach clenched at the thought and his eyes glowed as he took hold of the man's arm. "Come, William, I know a young lady who would be ecstatic to dance with you. She just recently lost her young husband and I'm sure you would be gratified to be introduced."

Taking the man, he drew him away from Duo and he quickly left him with the young widow in question. It didn't take long for the man to latch on to the lovely woman and Edward let out a relieved sigh before returning to where Duo watched, arms folded over his chest as he smirked.

"Well," said Edward, "I see you're determined to be unreasonable tonight."

"Not at all, uncle, I'm merely following your directives. It would be difficult to do my job if I were diverted by dancing." Duo wasn't at all bothered by the man's irritated gaze and he straightened his dark skirt as he waited to see if Edward had anything else to say.

"Oh, I'm too tired to play games with you," the man sighed, his eyes touching over his guests again. "This evening is wearing on me. Duo - _Diane_, why don't you escort Relena to her room and help her ready herself. I shall see to it that Roland is brought up directly whether he's up to it or not. I've seen enough of these people and they won't leave until the evening has been closed."

He didn't wait to see if the boy was going to do as he'd asked, making a bee-line for where the groom stood, drinking what must be his fifteenth glass.

It didn't take him long to locate the girl since Relena was surrounded by women, all of whom were hanging on her every word. Duo was well acquainted with the effect his cousin had on people, and he waited until the girl had finished what she was saying before sidling forward. He gave a polite and regretful smile to the women as he pulled Relena away from them and quietly told the girl what Edward had said.

She didn't seem unduly upset as she bid good-evening to the ladies and she moved across the floor with grace, her long skirts rustling. Duo followed, noting the way she held her head. He was certain she was excited at finally having been wed and he assumed she was also proud. After all, Roland was a very good match and much wealthier than her other suitors had been.

As soon as they reached her chambers, Relena's calm demeanor seemed to crumble and Duo took a step back when she turned to him. Her blue eyes were very wide and they shimmered suspiciously. "Oh, what am I to do?"

"What...what's wrong?" Duo asked, feeling uncomfortable with her sudden sadness.

He expected her to be nervous since it _was_ her wedding night, but he'd assumed she was comfortable with what was to happen. Why else would her father have sent _him_, rather than a married woman who could calm a newlywed's fears?

"Relena?"

"Oh, Duo," Relena sighed, "my life is cursed. How can I possible bear this night, knowing something horrible is going to happen?"

Shaking her head, the girl gazed at him, gripping a hand to the neck of her white gown as she sniffed back tears.

"Something horrible...Relena, I'm sure everything will be fine." He didn't know what to say to her when she was like this, and he only hoped her self-pity wouldn't last too long. Edward would be up soon with Roland and Duo could imagine how badly Relena's wedding night would go if she was crying when her husband came into the room.

"Please, calm down," said Duo.

"How could it be fine?!" the girl demanded, turning away as she bowed her head, the silver sparkling in her bound hair. "Every man I've been betrothed to has died. Yes, I did manage to get married, but Duo," she turned, her bright eyes begging for understanding, "that won't last! I just know something will happen to ruin this night, oh, I can't take this."

Duo watched as she stepped to the bed, sitting on the edge of it and hiding her face in her hands. "What...is there anything I can do?"

"No, I just...yes." Looking up suddenly, she bit her lip as she glanced at the boy. "Please, stall them? Just a little while. I...I have to calm myself before Roland gets here. I can't...let him see me like this..."

"Of course," Duo said quickly, backing out the door. "I'll do whatever I can."

He left the room as fast as he could, cursing his hindering skirts as he decided to take the back stairs. He could imagine how furious Edward was going to be, but he had every intention of carrying out Relena's wishes. It was only a matter of getting to the man, without everyone noticing, and telling him what Relena had said. Duo was certain the girl's father would stall the groom as long as he could if he was just made aware of his daughter's plight.

Stepping quickly, he gasped when one of his feet missed the step, the slippers he was wearing completely without traction, and his balance was lost. He was imagining the pain to come when his panicked mind slowly realized something was pressed to him.

Actually, he was pressed against someone and relief flooded through him as he realized he'd been caught. Stepping away from the person he found himself leaning on, he smiled and looked up.

"Thank you," said Duo. "I wasn't watching my step."

His smile faltered when he recognized the servant from earlier and his eyes widened as he saw the man's hood had fallen back to reveal his face. There were no scars, no markings marring it, but Duo's heart clenched as he recognized the features from a painting he'd stowed in the attic no more than a week ago.

"You...you're _him_!"

The man let out a soft curse and he grabbed Duo quickly, a hand moving to cover the boy's mouth in case he decided to scream.

"And you're no lady," he uttered, his low voice hitting Duo's ear and making the boy flinch. "As for your statement, yes, I am _him_. And you've ruined my plans."

His cobalt blue eyes glanced up the stairs and he gave a silent apology as he realized he wouldn't have a chance to reassure Relena.

"I'll just have to move a bit early, is all."

He held the boy tight to his chest as he moved down the stairs. Duo was too shocked to struggle and remained still. Surprisingly few people looked up as he crossed to the nearest table and he pressed the boy down in a chair.

"Be glad I'm not the villain you think I am," he said softly as he glared into wide violet eyes.

People jerked and turned in surprise when he ripped the tablecloth off the long table, dishes crashing to the floor. With their attention on him, he leapt onto the table and threw off the long cloak, his eyes boring into Edward as that man recognized him. "Revenge is at hand!"

"It's him..." Edward's throat closed on him for a moment, then his eyes bulged as he turned on the few guards and the men in the crowd. "It's Yuy! Get him!"

Heero let out a laugh and pulled the long sword that hung from his side. His eyes moved over the people's faces, daring them to advance. "Come forward then, if you wish to end your lives."

Few moved and those who did, did so sluggishly.

"What are you waiting for?!" Edward cried, confusion reigning as he saw the guards still seated, their eyes closed. Then he realized many of the guests were seated and others were leaning heavily on each other.

"What is wrong with you people?!"

"That would be me," Heero said smoothly, his eyes boring into the man. "Don't worry, it isn't poison, just something to let you all rest."

Edward's eyes widened as he stared down at the glass he'd been drinking out of. He dropped it and took a quick step back. Turning to Roland, who stood near him, he glared.

"Roland," said Edward, "will you let him threaten you?! This traitor to the crown?!"

The man's eyes widened and he gave a cry, jerking his sword from its scabbard. With a long step forward, he shook his head. "No! I'll kill him."

It would have been more dramatic, but he only managed a few steps before he suddenly wavered, swaying for a moment before falling forward on the floor. Luckily, some of his men hadn't imbibed in the wine as much and they _did_ advance, met by Heero's sword as a fight commenced.

Duo jerked when a body fell near him and he was out of his chair quickly. His mind had been slow to comprehend the arrival of Heero Yuy, who was supposed to be dead, but he forced himself into action as it was obvious who would win this battle.

There was only one person he could think of who might stand a chance of calming it before Edward was killed and he ran towards the stairs, intent on finding Relena. He reached the top of the stairs without incidence, but when he pushed open the door to the girl's room, he ground to a sudden halt.

The candles that had previously lit the room had been extinguished, and as far as he could tell, Relena was not there. Still, he had to check and he moved to the canopied bed, bending and looking in quickly as he wondered where she could have gone. After all, she was supposed to be waiting for her husband to come up.

He soon gave up, and it was as he was moving toward the door to search elsewhere that he felt a presence behind him. There was just enough time to turn before two dark figures erupted from the shadows and he jerked back as one of them grabbed his arms. The other was reaching for him when he ducked suddenly and elbowed the first in what he thought to be the man's stomach.

Still crouched, he tried to get past the man, and he reeled a bit as his necklace was caught and the chain broken, pieces falling to the floor. It had been his mother's, and as worried as he was, there was still time for fury. He swung his arm at the hand that had ripped it, making a blow before turning to run again.

His escape was halted when he saw the tall figure blocking the hall and he glanced back, dodging the first as he searched for something to use against them. Unfortunately, the skirts he wore hindered him. He let out a shocked cry as he fell against the thick curtains that hung over the window.

The two pursuers rushed together and he was quickly wrapped in the cloth, his movements muffled. Duo let out a furious cry when he was lifted, but the one carrying him gave him a rough squeeze that told him it would be wise not to repeat the sound. He racked his brain as he wondered what was going on.

Although it was impossible to tell where he was being taken, he listened as well as he could for signs of fighting and knew by the lack that he hadn't been carried through the main hall. But then, that would have been crazy since a battle was going on there. Still, he could hear the sounds of the outdoors and he knew when a muffled horse's whinny reached him that they were, indeed, outside of the manor. Then his thoughts left him as he felt himself falling suddenly and he closed his eyes, letting out a groan as he hit not the hard surface he was expecting, but something softer.

He didn't know he'd been tossed into the back of a cart full of hay, but when the men urged the horses, the rocking motion told him he was being taken away.

- - -

The sound of a whistle rang through the silence as the people watched the young man who had dispatched five fighters and was challenging a sixth one. Heero was the only one who noticed the noise, and his eyes glinted as he recognized the signal. Jumping into a crowd that sluggishly made way for him, he ran to the door, turning as he reached it.

"Are you cowards?!" he cried, taunting them as he stared at Edward, "Catch me if you dare!"

His movements were made slower since he didn't want to lose them, and he made a detour at the stables to steal back his favorite horse. It, too, had been given to Edward, and he now used it as he led the guards in the direction opposite the one his men would be taking.

**- - -  
TBC**


	3. Part 3

Author's Notes: This is a fusion with the book: So Worthy My Love by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. While there will be no text reproduced here, the story line will follow the book's almost exactly, any changes made not too drastic.

Category: Yaoi, AU, Gundam Wing, fusion with a book  
Pairings: will be 1x2, vague hints at 3x4  
Warnings: none  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
Website: www . geocities . com / arigatomina

**Bonds of Love**

_Part 3_

It was hard to breathe, wrapped up in the curtains, and Duo had no excess air to let out any complaints. Not that he didn't want to. The softness beneath him had given way to an unyielding hardness as the cart rocked over the trail the men were taking. Each bump made his body ache and his anger scream at him, leaving him consumed with a need for revenge.

It was all he could do not to move, but he knew it would do him no good to anger his captors when he was completely helpless at the moment. Instead, he tried to content himself with the knowledge that sooner or later they would have to unwrap him. Then, he was determined to see that they paid.

The muffled sounds of rapid hoof-beats broke the quiet as the cart was slowed to a halt and Duo felt a rush of excitement. He wondered if his uncle had actually come to save him. While he hadn't even dreamt of such a thing, he was still consumed with hope as the sounds grew closer. Even if the approaching men weren't looking for him, they were still possible rescuers.

He had just made up his mind to try and attract their attention when a heavy foot hit the hay near his head. The warning was clear to him, and he bit back his need to moan in anger as he realized he didn't dare risk it. Still, he held his breath as the riders continued to near them, not letting it out until he heard the sound suddenly begin to diminish again. While he couldn't see it, he was correct when he hopelessly guessed they'd taken a different path from the one his kidnappers had chosen.

Fighting back the hotness that tried to reach his eyes, he glared at the black surface so close to his face. It was obvious that help wouldn't be coming from those people and he wondered who it was that had taken him. His first thought had been someone hired by Heero Yuy, but this had quickly been discarded. There was no reason for the man to want him. No, it was more likely his cousins and this realization made his blood run cold.

He was suddenly sure of it. They were a cowardly lot, and it would be just like them to use the distraction Heero had made to pull off the kidnapping. This was not a comforting thought and he wondered sadly if Treize really _had_ betrayed him as Edward had warned he would. But it didn't really matter since he was captured regardless. His heart sank low as the cart began to move again.

- - -

When they finally unwrapped him, Duo found that not only were his limbs a bit too frozen for a sudden retaliation, but even the dim light from the moon above hurt his eyes. As a result, he lay still for a moment while his eyes adjusted, then slowly looked at the ones who'd captured him.

His first thought was that they were much younger than he'd expected and he stared at the taller one, taking in his evenly muscled form and knowing that one would be the one to watch out for. The other was shorter, pale blonde hair gracing his head and pale blue-green eyes watched him without a hint of malice. Still, he wasn't about to let down his guard.

He made it to his feet slowly, hiding his grimace as pins and needles ran through his muscles.

Since neither of the two made a step towards him, Duo let himself take in their location. His muscles tensed when he saw how deserted the forest seemed. There was a river nearby, the bank not far from him, but other than that, all he could see were trees and shrubbery, no lights that signified people.

Looking again to the two watching him, he grew cold as he could only think of two reasons for them to bring him to such a place. His not recognizing them meant his cousins hadn't been behind this, since they didn't have the funds to hire kidnappers. That meant the two had either brought him there to kill him, or to use him for their pleasure. Either way, he wasn't eager to find out.

He sidled back a bit, his eyes flitting toward a nearby tree. There was a long branch caught on one of the lower limbs and he marked it as a weapon as he moved within grabbing distance.

The taller man had stepped towards him, his green eyes wide as he seemed about to speak, when Duo grabbed the branch. He didn't bother to give any warning. He lunged forward and swung the thick wood, striking the young man in the side before high-tailing it for the woods. While he wanted to hurt them more, he knew they probably had guns on them and it was better to escape without immediate revenge than to have a bit of revenge and die for it.

Duo hadn't gone far at all when he heard the two chasing him. He was suddenly grateful to his soft slippers since they made his progress nearly silent. Holding his cumbersome skirts so he wouldn't be slowed, he dodged trees, bending at the waist so he wouldn't be seen over some of the higher bushes. Not that it was easy to see anything with the leaves blocking most of the light, but he wasn't taking any chances.

He kept running until he was cut off abruptly. His mouth fell open in disbelief as he stared at the nature-made wall that blocked his escape. Fate was obviously unhappy with him. The thicket was impenetrable, the long thorns more than he was willing to go up against. Instead, he turned back the way he'd come, running to the side as he tried not to meet his pursuers.

His steps were still quiet and he could hear them passing him as he headed back to where he'd been released. The river and clearing came into sight as the tree cover was broken, and he ran faster, hoping to find escape with whatever route they'd used when they'd brought him there.

It was his skirt that betrayed him. He tripped suddenly and he'd no more than pushed himself off the grass when a weight dropped onto his back, pinning him down.

Groaning as he was practically ground into the grass, Duo let out an angry cry. "Get off me!"

Nothing surpassed his surprise when the order was promptly followed. He turned slowly to stare at the blonde who'd managed to catch him. Those pale eyes were wide and the young man was breathing quickly, but again, he saw no evil intentions on his face.

"I'm sorry, my lady. I didn't mean to harm you," the blonde said quickly, glancing over his shoulder when the tall man made an appearance. "I've found her, Trowa."

His reddish-brown bangs moving as he nodded, Trowa looked down at Duo. His green eyes narrowed when he caught sight of the slender legs showing beneath the raised skirt. Duo followed his gaze and flushed. They must have thought he was bold since he was still dressed as a girl.

Well, he decided, they could think of him as a girl. That was just fine. At least until he found out what they intended to do with him.

Glaring, he started to rise when a belt of pain sprang through his ankle and he realized he'd twisted it in the fall.

The blonde's eyes widened when Duo let out a soft groan and he knelt on the grass. "Are you injured, lady?"

"Stay away from me," Duo ground out, wary of the man though he didn't look too much older than himself. "Who are you?"

"Quatre," the blonde said quickly, nodding. "And that's Trowa. You don't have need to fear, we won't harm you."

"Sure," Duo muttered, keeping his voice light. "Who hired you?"

"We can't tell you that," said Trowa, his voice monotone as he knelt beside Duo. "Is your ankle injured?"

"I twisted it," Duo admitted.

The young man immediately lifted him and Duo fought the need to struggle. He realized he wouldn't be walking far at the moment, so running was obviously out of the question. "What are you going to do with me?"

"Our orders are to take you to our lord," Quatre said, following as Trowa carried the boy to the bank. "We can't say more than that."

And they didn't, despite Duo's irritation. Neither seemed dishonest in their intentions as they gave him blankets to bed down on and, having given him some food, bid him to rest for the night.

It would have reassured him that they didn't tie him up, but Duo was sure the only reason they didn't was because his ankle was a bit swollen. No doubt, they knew he wouldn't get far if he tried to escape. With nothing better to do, Duo wrapped himself in the blanket and closed his eyes as he tried to get some sleep. His only hope was that he'd find himself in better condition to escape after a bit of rest. He eventually dozed off.

- - -

The fire had burnt down to red cinders when he slowly woke again, and he remained still, looking at his captors through his eyelashes. They were asleep on the side of the fire bordering the forest, cutting off that direction of escape.

Duo was infinitely careful as he sat up, making certain he was quiet so he wouldn't wake them. Luckily, he'd always been graceful, as much as his recent clumsiness begged the contrary. He made it to his feet without gaining notice. While still too sore to last through any running, his ankle felt better.

He looked to the river, finding the thing that had woken him. He hadn't noticed before, but there was a small boat near the camp, the sails obviously having aided the wind.

It had been blown away from the stump it had probably been tied to, and Duo traced the rope, following it to a branch not too far from him. As he'd thought, the rope had been torn, but it was now caught in the tree. It was the soft tapping of the boat's hull against a log that had woken him.

It didn't take long for him to realize that the boat was his obvious means of escape. He wondered how difficult it would be to get on it and release the hindering rope without waking the two, who were still sleeping. With careful steps, he made his way to the log the boat was tapping against and paused when he found it coated with slick moss. Still, he couldn't hesitate.

He inched forward till his hands gripped the side of the boat, his head turning so he could look to the rope. It was then that he noticed a second rope tied to the boat. He crushed his groan when he saw this rope was tied to the foot of the tall man, Trowa. Obviously, he'd been prepared just in case his prisoner tried to escape during the night.

Since he didn't have so much as a knife, Duo had just made up his mind to untie the second rope from the boat when the wind suddenly picked up again.

Blowing hard against the sail, the wind shoved the boat out towards the river and Duo gave a sharp cry as he tilted forward. He barely kept his hold on the edge of the boat, and he fell against its side, knocking loose the rope that had been caught in the tree.

Whether it was Duo's cry that had awakened them mattered little as Trowa was suddenly jerked toward the river, the rope tied to his ankle dragging him forcefully.

Quatre had no more than sat up when the tall man was suddenly jerked into the water and the boat was blown away from shore, Duo holding tightly to the side of it. The blonde stared for a moment in complete stupefaction. Then he took off, running along the shore and keeping pace with the speeding boat.

Duo drug himself upwards, grateful to the height of the boat which had kept him from being immersed in the dark water. After what seemed an eternity, he finally managed to pitch himself onto the floor of the boat and his heart sang as he saw he was being blown farther and farther away from the camp. Both the river's current and the wind took him downstream. Then his excitement dwindled as he heard harsh splashing behind him.

His shock was great when he saw Trowa being drug behind the speeding boat and it wasn't until he realized the man was pulling himself up with the rope that Duo moved. Within a minute, he had one of the oars that was lying in the boat. He rushed to the railing and tried to knock the tall man back into the water.

At best, he merely slowed Trowa's progress. He suddenly straightened again as a loud splash sounded from the front of the boat.

Having followed the runaway vessel's progress, Quatre had found himself on a small bluff that overlooked the river. It had taken only a moment before he'd jumped in, landing in the water directly in front of the boat's path.

Duo had run toward the front when he'd heard the blonde's landing and he found himself caught in the middle as both began to climb onto the boat. The rocking as the boat tipped first one direction and then the other, sent Duo off balance. He waved his arms for a moment before falling against the edge of the boat.

He tumbled back and over with a long scream which was cut off by icy black water. Shaking and wet, the two men stared as the longhaired girl, as they thought him to be, broke the surface.

It was so cold, Duo didn't immediately understand why he couldn't move. Then he tried to lift a foot and grimaced. He realized the thickness around his ankles was the sludge that covered the bottom of the river. Luckily, the water was only waist high and he was vaguely grateful that he hadn't fallen on his face. He didn't want to imagine having a mouth full of the thick stuff.

He looked up when the boat moved closer to him and he glared with hatred at the two men's shocked expressions. If he could have caught Trowa's extended hand on fire, he would have, but he turned instead and made his pain-staking way to the shore, one slow step at a time.

Dinner was a poor thing, but the blonde had backtracked to where the supplies had been left and Duo felt vaguely guilty, despite his reminding himself that _they_ were the bad guys. Still, they did give him dry clothing, rags or not, and neither attempted to invade his privacy as he dressed.

For this he was glad. He had decided to uphold his pretense at being a female. Obviously, they expected less opposition out of the fairer sex and Duo meant to take advantage of that. Also, it was easier to hide his purse under the skirt of the old dress he was given. He was very grateful that his distrust of Edward had led him to carrying his life-savings under his skirts. He was sure the money would come in very handy later, during his next escape attempt.

After they'd dried and eaten, the two men decided there was no reason not to set sail and Duo gave no complaints when he was escorted to the boat. As surprising as it was to him, Duo was happy when the blonde made a very warm place for him in the back of the boat. He retired there with a lighter heart and fell asleep thinking of his next escape attempt.

**- - -  
TBC**


	4. Part 4

Author's Notes: This is a fusion with the book: So Worthy My Love by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. While there will be no text reproduced here, the story line will follow the book's almost exactly, any changes made not too drastic.

Category: Yaoi, AU, Gundam Wing, fusion with a book  
Pairings: will be 1x2, vague hints at 3x4  
Warnings: crossdressing; out of necessity  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
Website: www . geocities . com / arigatomina

**Bonds of Love**

_Part 4_

Even if Trowa hadn't threatened to gag and carry him, Duo wouldn't have tried to get too far away from them. He found himself moving through a very dangerous district. Although he'd never been there personally, he knew of places like these and that law had stopped going into them. As a result, all low-lives and criminals used them as hide-outs, shelters from which to make their plans.

Duo wasn't looking forward to escaping into _this_ area since freedom would probably end worse than captivity. Instead, he gave little resistance as he was drawn down twisted and winding alleys. His eyes were worried when the men stopped before a wooden door in the back of a building.

A young woman answered the door and after a few whispered words from Trowa, she let them inside. As far as Duo could tell, the building had a lower level and he was led down some stairs before the three halted outside a door.

The red-haired woman unlocked this and Duo was gently pushed inside, Quatre giving him a regretful smile and telling him to wait. Not that he had much choice since the door was immediately closed and locked behind him. For a moment, he stared at it, then he turned so he could view his new prison.

The room looked more like a closet than a room and as far as Duo could tell the cot, the only thing in the room, had just been brought in recently. Even it was dirty and he scuffed his old slippers over the dusty floor, staring at the cleaned spot in disgust. He didn't care _how_ poor the people were, there was no excuse for such disgusting laziness.

With a loud sigh, he settled on the cot, grimacing as he was certain the brown skirt he wore was as dark as the blanket despite the fact that the covering had once been white. Still, the stains on it made him wince and it wasn't until he looked at the closed door that he understood why the filth irritated him so.

Obviously, his mind was trying to divert him from the real problem.

He'd been placed in a room with nothing but a bed. Not a good thing.

When the door opened again, Duo let out a silent sigh of relief that it was just the woman from before. His relief was short lived, however, as he spotted definite malice and distaste in her gaze. She set the tray on the floor at the foot of the bed and stood, staring at him.

"Well," she sneered, "I can't say I'm not surprised to see something like you here. I'd have thought he'd have better taste than that."

He knew he looked bad with his hair falling out of its braid and his dress very poor, but he was taken back by the blatant distaste on the woman's face.

"Do I offend you?" asked Duo, raising an eyebrow when she let out a harsh laugh.

"Offend me?!" she laughed, staring down at where he sat. "How high and mighty you talk, I'd say you're a might drubby looking to be talking like that."

Duo wasn't hurt by her snide comment, but then, it didn't matter what she thought of him. He reminded himself that he needed to escape.

The woman turned and bent over the tray and Duo's mouth fell open as he saw that she'd left the door wide open. Obviously, she _wanted_ him to escape. He didn't pause to wonder why.

He was on his feet quickly. Without so much as a glance at the woman, he bolted through the door and shut it behind him, grinning as he found she'd left the key in the lock. It was an easy thing to lock her in. He left the key and turned to view the darkened hallway.

Again, he thought of what might happen to him in the area they were in, but possible risks were better than taking his chances in that room. Throwing his fears aside, he ran for the stairs.

He nearly stumbled when he heard a door open beneath him and he threw a glance over his shoulder to see Quatre and Trowa looking up at him in surprise. They were joined by a third man and Duo shoved himself up. Holding his skirt out of his way, he practically flying up the stairs.

He hit the door running, and he groaned when he found it locked. He closed his eyes in the agony of defeat as strong arms wrapped around his waist and he was lifted against a man's chest.

Unwilling to be carried back to the room without a fight, Duo kicked at the man holding him and let out a sharp scream. Then a hand was clamped over his mouth and he was brought back downstairs.

The man didn't seem to mind his kicks. But then, it wasn't as if he could do much damage with the thin slippers Trowa had given him earlier. Duo eventually stilled his struggles, vaguely aware that the man might notice his lack of breasts if he moved too much. He still glared when Quatre unlocked the door, and the woman turned with a disappointed expression.

The man dropped Duo with a sharp gasp. He stared at the tooth-marks on his hand before looking back to him. Since Duo didn't know who'd ordered his kidnapping, he was expecting to find it was this new stranger. The black-haired man stared at him in shock. Then the man gave a small smirk, black eyes seeming to warm as he again glanced from his hand to Duo.

"Well, that was quite the greeting, I must say," he said smoothly, shaking his head when Duo glared daggers at him. "I am Chang Wufei, at your service, my lady."

Duo blinked when the man gave a slow bow. He heard what sounded like a growl and glanced back to find the woman glaring at him. He gave her a glare of his own before making a face at yet another ruined escape attempt.

"Is she always so difficult?" asked Wufei, raising an eyebrow as he glanced at Quatre's unhappy expression.

"Well..."

The blonde seemed hesitant, and Trowa stepped forward, giving Duo a sharp gaze.

"Yes," said Trowa, his deadpan response saying wonders.

"I see," Wufei smirked. "And how did you manage to escape?"

He turned to Duo, but looked past him to stare at the woman, who was currently scowling.

"He caught me with my back turned," she said quickly, making it sound as if Duo had done something horrible that she'd never expected.

"Yeah, and you obviously didn't mind," Duo returned, scoffing as he gestured to her. "She left the door wide open. She was begging for me to escape."

"Why I never!"

Enraged, the woman took a step forward, her hand raising as if she meant to slap Duo, who merely raised an eyebrow at her.

Wufei caught her quickly, his dark gaze making her flush. Staring at the woman in disapproval, he drew her to the door and gave her a small push out of the room. "I'd say your services are done here, wouldn't you?"

He waited until she'd left before turning to smile at Duo. "Well, no harm done. Trowa, why don't you go get the chest, there really isn't any time to waste."

The tall one nodded and left, returning almost immediately with a large trunk held on his shoulder.

As soon as he spotted it, Duo had a horrible suspicion. He took a step back when Wufei turned to look at him.

"Tell me you're not thinking of putting _me_ in that thing," he said slowly, his eyes impossibly wide. "No way!"

"Don't be afraid," said Wufei, his voice calm. "We simply can't have anyone spotting you as we take you to the ship. Also, you've proven that you're determined to escape and we can't have that either."

Since his reassurances didn't seem to help, he nodded his head toward the trunk. "I will make a deal with you. If you give me your word that you won't try to scream or make any move that will draw attention to yourself, I won't tie and gag you."

"What?!" Letting out a frustrated groan, Duo rubbed his palms over his face before bowing his head in defeat. "Why can't you just let me go?"

"It won't take long," Wufei said, not liking the hopeless tone Duo spoke with. "If there was another way, I assure you, we'd use it. But there isn't."

In the end, Duo climbed into the trunk on his own, and he kept his muscles taut as the lid was slowly shut and he was surrounded by darkness. If he'd ever had fears of his death, this beat them all. He felt as if he'd been placed in a coffin that was much too small. As it was, he'd had to curl into a near ball in order to fit into the thing.

Had it not been for the padding that lined the inside, he was sure he'd have been bruised all over. Mostly because Trowa accidentally dropped the trunk as he was carrying it up the stairs. While the boy had given a heart-felt apology, Duo promised to hurt him later, badly. Still, the ride really didn't take _that_ long, no more than an eternity.

When the lid was finally thrown back, Duo was again assaulted by light after blackness and he winced painfully. Then he winced again as he found himself unable to move at all, barely getting into a sitting position. His legs were completely numb. Had Wufei not lifted him, he might have stayed in the trunk inevitably and he was grateful to the man.

At least, he was grateful until he was set on his feet and he nearly crumpled to the carpet. Then, his mind shut down as his legs screamed at him and he closed his eyes until the last of his muscles had finally awakened. It was then that he realized he was still being supported by the black-haired man. His pain-fogged mind pinpointed the man's hand on his stomach and the muscled chest pressed close to his back.

Fear sprang to mind unhampered and he lunged away, turning to glare at the man while Wufei looked back at him in surprise. He didn't care if the man had been helping him. Duo could still feel those fingers touching his side and the way the warm breath had reached his ear.

The danger he was in once again became apparent and he grabbed the oak staff that was leaning in the corner of what he found to be a cabin. It may not have been meant as a weapon, but he intended to use it as such. He watched the three men warily, spotting Trowa and Quatre behind the black-haired man.

Wufei took a small step forward and Duo swung the staff in a fast arc, warning him to stay back.

"The first one of you who tries _anything_ is going to seriously regret it," he ground out, hoping his fear wasn't apparent in his voice.

Again, he was convinced they had guns but as he couldn't see any, he left room for a bit of hope that he might be able to fend them off at least for a while.

"Please, English," Wufei said softly, his eyes glowing as he stared at Duo.

There was something attractive in a girl with spirit and he found himself captivated by those sparking violet eyes. Most women he'd met were much too passive and he gave a mental compliment to Heero for having chosen such a spirited bride.

"No one will hurt you," he said.

With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the pair standing behind him, humored by their uncertainty as they seemed wary to leave him alone. Once they were gone, he turned back to Duo. "In truth, you are my guest. You see, this is my ship and as it is the only cabin suitable for a lady, I give you leave to mine."

"Is that supposed to _comfort_ me?" Duo asked, his incredulous tone not hidden. "So you'll keep me in _your_ cabin, that's a real relief."

Wufei smirked again. "Well, as I was saying, I _will_ find it necessary to come in every once in a while as this is where I keep my charts."

Directing Duo's attention to one of such papers, he inclined is head. "But other than that, the room is yours. Once we set sail, you will, of course, have leave to the deck of the ship, but I can't risk it just yet. I can't have you jumping and trying to swim to shore, now can I?"

He'd never had much chance to swim, and Duo didn't really care if he missed that opportunity to escape. He knew he wouldn't make it to shore unless it was _very_ close nearby. Still, he was irritated that the man thought he'd be reassured by the knowledge that he'd only be intruding occasionally.

"You're so very kind," he said sarcastically, glaring at the man.

"I will announce my arrival with a loud knock," said Wufei.

He almost laughed at the anger heating the room, but he wasn't prone to laughter so he resisted the temptation. "I'll see you again once we've set sail. Till then, English."

Duo didn't move until the man had left the cabin. He sighed when he heard a lock turn. He wasn't reassured, but at least he hadn't been attacked.

Maybe they really _were_ taking him to someone else. But who?

He sat down on the soft bed that was bolted to the floor at the side of the room and rested his head in his hands.

He called him English. Duo wondered if it wouldn't be better to tell them he was a boy. But then...that might make things worse.

If they were sent to find a girl, then he wasn't the one they were after. They _might_ release him. But then...they might also decide to kill him for witnessing their attempts at kidnapping.

He didn't know what to do...

**- - -  
TBC**


	5. Part 5

Author's Notes: This is a fusion with the book: So Worthy My Love by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. While there will be no text reproduced here, the story line will follow the book's almost exactly, any changes made not too drastic.

Category: Yaoi, AU, Gundam Wing, fusion with a book  
Pairings: will be 1x2, vague hints at 3x4, 5-2  
Warnings: crossdressing; out of necessity  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
Website: www . geocities . com / arigatomina

**Bonds of Love**

_Part 5_

Wufei frowned at the table as he resisted the need to look up at the one eating across from him. It had been weeks since the beginning of the voyage and he could not deny the feelings he had for his friend's betrothed. His feelings had grown beyond simple lust and he was beginning to actually _like_ the spirited girl, only his loyalty to Heero preventing him from letting those feelings out into the open. He'd given his word to bring her to Heero and he had every intention of keeping his word.

Still, a glance to where the girl sat had his eyes glowing and he knew he had the patience of a saint. He must, otherwise he'd never have been able to hold out against such temptation, friendship or not.

Taking a bite of the delicious food Wufei's cook had prepared for him, Duo's mind flew over what he'd learned so far. It seemed that the story Trowa and Quatre had given him had been true. The black-haired captain had confirmed it.

While he wouldn't say _who_ they were taking him to, Duo had been told that it was a man who was 'smitten' with him. Wufei had said it as if the news would reassure him. Rather than doing that, it only served to confuse him as Duo was convinced they had the wrong person.

There was no one he could think of who would go to such an extent to get him unless it was someone who'd noticed him while he'd lived at Edward's home. This was becoming more reasonable to him as time passed and it wasn't long before he was convinced they _did_ have the right person. Only _he_ wasn't what they thought him to be. He grew more and more worried as to what sort of reaction their boss would have when he learned that Duo wasn't Diane.

"What are you thinking about, English?"

Duo looked up as the man's voice broke the silence and he shook his head. With his new thoughts, he had also determined that the men didn't know his name. This would explain why Wufei kept calling him English. Obviously, it was a reference to the fact that he had lived in England. Duo had come to the conclusion that the man paying them didn't know his name either.

"I was thinking that I want to go home," he said honestly, giving the man a pointed stare.

Wufei sighed and glanced down for a moment before letting Duo see his sincere expression. "I know you're fearful of the future, but I am convinced you will be very happy when you learn who is responsible for this. However, if you are not, I give you my word that you may have me flogged. If, of course, you regret this journey."

Those violet eyes sparked and he knew the girl meant to hold him to his promise, yet he was certain she'd be ecstatic when she learned it was Heero who'd instigated her kidnapping. Heero had made a wonderful match and Wufei understood why the man would risk death to return to England for her. Yes, he understood very well.

Duo had dropped his gaze and Wufei had to do the same since he felt the need to comfort her, hold her, and most especially touch her. It was a good thing their journey would end before the week was out or he might lose his control.

- - -

When they left the ship, Quatre stayed with Duo while Trowa went about finding the manor house Heero had rented for himself and his betrothed. Unfortunately, the tall man soon learned that the man who'd taken the money had decided to give the house to someone else while they had been on the sea. Now, he not only claimed he had no more houses, but he refused to return the sum that had been paid him, claiming that Heero owed him that amount anyway.

In the end, the best thing Trowa could get was a castle far from the city where they'd docked and this he had to pay extra for. It was with an angry and heavy heart that he returned to the two who awaited him and departed the news.

As their destination was in the country, they had to purchase horses and supplies, but they were soon on their way. Without the funds for better steeds, they were left with older horses and their ride dragged out longer than it should have, the snowy climate and cold weather also slowing them. But they eventually made it and all three were taken in by the large, yet ancient castle that rose before them.

Upon reaching the courtyard, however, Duo's heart dropped as he saw the wooden gate was a broken rubble of boards and aside from the dilapidated stable that sat to the side, the castle was in ruins. The shutters were falling off or nonexistent and the roof was in sore need of repair as he could actually see a gaping hole in one spot.

He moved inside after Trowa took his horse, and his spirits dropped lower when he saw that the inside looked worse than the out. The layer of dust that coated the floor was at least a centimeter thick and ropey gray cobwebs hung in the corners, no doubt home to large inhabitants.

Spying a large iron kettle hanging in the soot-blackened hearth and the pots and utensils that lined the mantle, Duo gave a sigh. He turned to Quatre, who had stepped in beside him.

"I guess this place will serve as camp for the night," he said with reluctance.

"Actually," Quatre said softly, dropping his eyes, "this is it. This is where we'll be staying, Faulder Castle."

"Oh no, tell me you're kidding?!"

The man shook his head slowly and Duo let out a low groan, his eyes moving over the filth again. He made a face at the blonde and moved a bit further into the room.

"Great," muttered Duo. "Well, I might as well see what the rest of this pigsty looks like."

Quatre nodded and Duo moved to the stairs, his eyes pausing for a moment on the tall candelabra that stood in the corner of the staircase. Obviously, the castle was too hard to reach for looters to have come to call. The piece was coated in dust, evidence that no one had lived there for years. He forced himself to keep going until he reached the second floor.

After searching for a while, Duo paused on a room that looked a little better than the others. He eyed the old tapestry that hung on one wall, picking at the dirt that clung to it as he wondered at the crest. He lifted the edge to see if anything was behind it. A small smile came to his face as he realized what he was looking at.

It was a door, no doubt a hidden passageway that would come in handy if he had need to hide in the house. Then his hopes crashed down when he saw Trowa standing in the doorway behind him. He dropped the tapestry quickly, even though there was little chance the man hadn't noticed what he'd been looking at.

Ignoring the man, Duo moved to look at the upstairs. The best room it had to offer, however, was marred since that gaping hole he'd seen earlier was above the back of the room. While it didn't hover over the bed, the drafts that blew in and the snow that piled on the floor eliminated it as a choice.

It was by unanimous decision that Duo would get the room on the second floor and the boy was again grateful to his feminine role. He doubted if he would have been treated so chivalrously if they'd known he was a boy. Since was the only habitable room, he was glad to have it. Still, it, along with the rest of the castle, was in dire need of a harsh cleaning.

The three of them set to it immediately. They had no idea the task they had set out to do, but ignorance was bliss. If they'd known they no doubt would have given up before ever starting.

- - -

It became apparent quickly, that none of them knew how to cook and Duo soon came to regret the fact that he'd only supervised the servants. Unfortunately, he'd never watched the cooks too carefully and he was as bad a cook as the other two.

It was hunger as much as anything, that drove them to return to the town for supplies and after a quick meal, they were ready to start shopping. As sad as it was, their funds were nearly depleted. Duo soon grew bored of listening to Trowa and Quatre argue about where they might get the best deals.

As Duo was staring around him he noticed how close they were to a harbor. His eyes widened as he stared at the tall ships. Neither man noticed when he slipped off silently. With a light step, Duo searched for a ship that might be returning to England.

"Why, English! What are you doing here?"

Halting suddenly, Duo almost cried as he recognized the voice. He made a miserable face before turning to watch as Wufei moved toward him.

"What do you think I was doing?" Duo muttered, shaking his head at his horrible luck.

"No doubt you sought to escape onto one of these ships," Wufei said, black eyes warm as he stared at the boy. "But you are mistaken. You see, it is winter now and no one will risk such danger at this time."

"Well, that's too bad," Duo said, anger hardening his voice. "Because if I stay here, I'll end up starving to death before spring ever comes. They don't even have money for food..."

"Oh, well, you know I'm here to help," said Wufei. "I'm sure I will be reimbursed. Fear not, English, I'll not let you starve."

"Actually," Duo said slowly, wondering if the man were sincere in his kindness. "I was thinking that you might be able to invest something for me. You see," he pulled out his purse from where he'd hung it beneath his coat, "I have my own money with me."

"And you want to invest it?" Wufei asked in surprise, liking the girl even more.

It wasn't often that he heard of a woman who had such sense when it came to money. "I shall be happy to do so for you. And, English?"

He took a step closer, not hiding his bright eyes as he looked at Duo. "If you still wish to return to England when spring comes, I promise to deliver you there myself."

"Really?" asked Duo.

The man nodded sharply and Duo felt a flicker of warmth towards him. Then he heard running steps approaching. He let out a groan when he spotted Trowa and Quatre's angered expressions.

"You found her!" Coming to a halt, Quatre gave Duo a disapproving scowl before looking to Wufei in gratitude. "Thank you, captain."

"I assure you," Wufei said, still gazing at Duo's violet eyes. "It was my pleasure. Until we meet again, English. One month."

Watching him go, Duo again wondered if these people didn't truly think they were doing a good thing by bringing him here. His curiosity regarding his _true_ captor was growing and his nervousness was slowly settling. He didn't think they'd bring him to a person who meant him harm.

But he realized, as he turned slowly to meet the glaring eyes that stared at him, that he wasn't exactly on their best side at the moment. He sighed as Quatre set to yelling at him.

_- - -  
TBC_


	6. Part 6

Author's Notes: This is a fusion with the book: So Worthy My Love by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. While there will be no text reproduced here, the story line will follow the book's almost exactly, any changes made not too drastic.

Category: Yaoi, AU, Gundam Wing, fusion with a book  
Pairings: will be 1x2, vague hints at 3x4, 5-2  
Warnings: crossdressing; out of necessity  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
Website: www . geocities . com / arigatomina

**Bonds of Love**

_Part 6_

Snow poured in around him aand he had to lean hard to shut the door. It wasn't until Heero pushed back his hood that the two men lowered their firearms. Rushing to him, their relief was obvious and had it not been for the castle, Heero wouldn't have kept his smile back.

"It's good to be here," said Heero. "But why are you in this castle? What happened to the manor I rented?"

"He gave it to his sister," said Trowa, taking the man's coat. "He said this was all he had to offer and he made us pay extra for it."

"I'll take care of him later," Heero promised, his cobalt blue eyes narrowing for a moment before he brushed away his anger. "But where is Relena?"

He didn't see her anywhere and he noticed, for the first time, the bruises that both men sported, his eyes narrowing. "What's happened to you?"

"She's in her room," said Trowa. He looked away, embarrassed by the bruise that marred his cheek.

"I'm afraid we had to lock her in," Quatre added, staring at the floor. "She tried to escape in town and we couldn't take another risk. She wasn't at all happy with us and...she – she threw things when we brought her dinner."

"Threw things? Relena?!" Heero stared at the two for a moment in utter disbelief, then marched up the stairs. "Which room?"

"The only one on the second floor with a door," said Trowa.

This almost made him pause, but Heero shrugged it aside, eager to see his betrothed. It had been so long since he'd seen her and while he was certain the men had exaggerated, he worried that Relena might be frightened at having been kidnapped.

He found the room easily, but the sight of the large bar that was in place made him glare in disbelief. There was no way it was necessary. He couldn't understand why the men had needed such a big restraint when Relena was so sweet and gentle.

Promising to have a talk with them, he pulled the bar off, and set it aside before rapping lightly on the door. With no answer, he pushed it open and stepped in.

"Are you here?" asked Heero.

"You?! Bastard!"

Heero barely had time to turn to face the furious form before he jumped back to avoid the stool Duo swung at him, the boy's eyes blazing in fury. Although shocked, Heero recognized the boy from Edward's party. He grabbed the stool, jerking it away as he wondered briefly why the boy was still dressed as a girl.

"What are _you_ doing here?" asked Heero.

"Why don't you ask your flunkies!" Duo cried.

His fury knew no bounds now that he realized all of his torment had been because of the traitor standing before him. "They're the ones who kidnapped me! On _your_ orders!"

Heero blinked in rising confusion as he set the stool aside absentmindedly. "What are you talking about? Where's Relena?"

"Oh, so they were supposed to take _her_, then?" Duo let out a laugh as he realized how ridiculous it all was. Then glared at the confused man.

"Well," Duo drawled, "I guess she's where any good wife would be. With her husband in _England_."

Although he'd intended to infuriate the man, Duo was caught off guard by the vicious curse Heero uttered. He took a sharp step back.

"I'll kill them!" Heero growled.

Rounding on his heel, Heero was downstairs in record time, his fury nearly sending the two men into hiding. They stared at him in shock.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?!" Heero demanded. "How could you have made such a stupid mistake?!"

"What?" Glancing at Trowa, Quatre's breath caught as he resisted the urge to step away from his lord's wrath.

Heero turned as he spotted Duo on the stairs and his eyes blazed. "Tell them who you are."

"Duo Maxwell," Duo said, holding his head high while the two men's eyes widened. "Only _son_...of Lord Ramsey Maxwell."

The two men looked about to expire from disbelief and Heero took a threatening step towards them. "How could you think he was my betrothed?"

"Well...she...that is he..." Quatre swallowed roughly as he forced his tongue to work. "We waited in your lady's room and when we saw a girl who matched the description we thought..."

"Matched the description?!" Heero's eyes widened and he ground his teeth together. "Are you blind?"

"You said she had long brown hair," Trowa said slowly, putting a hand on Quatre's back since the blonde seemed to need the support.

"Yes!" Heero agreed, nodding. "I said _light_ brown hair, not golden brown."

"She...he has blue eyes," Trowa continued.

"I said light blue," Heero scoffed, "not violet. And how could you think _he_ was a girl?! For the love of God, he's a boy!"

Heero's snarl finally made the two step back.

"Well, since this was all a mistake," Duo said softly, not wincing when the furious man turned to him, "can I go now? I mean, it's not like I'll tell anyone where you are."

Heero would have loved nothing more than to see the boy gone, but he knew there was no way he could do it. Even if it hadn't been the wrong season for a ship to go to England, the boy's name had caught his attention.

He hadn't realized who the boy was when he'd seen him at the party, but knowing he was the son of Ramsey Maxwell had dispelled any chance the boy had of returning to England. Since he was well aware of the rumors regarding Ramsey's being missing, he knew the boy's very life would be in danger if he were to return. No, Heero found that not only was he stuck in the castle without Relena, but he was also forced to hold the boy as well.

"No," said Heero. "You'll have to stay. At least until spring."

He missed the way Duo's eyes narrowed, his own gaze directed at the floor. He was coming to terms with the knowledge that his betrothed was lost to him.

"You can't keep me here!" Duo cried, "Why would you?"

"Don't argue with me," Heero glared, again turning away. "You're staying."

"I'm telling you to let me go or you'll regret it." The man didn't so much as glance at him and Duo moved towards the fire as his fury grew. "If you keep me here, I'll see to it that your every waking hour is as miserable as I am, bet on it!"

"Shut up," Heero growled. "You're pushing my last nerve."

The warning should have been enough, and Heero gave the boy a degrading look before turning to Trowa and Quatre. What he'd been about to say to them, however, was put on hold. Their eyes widened suddenly.

Heero turned back to the longhaired boy and he ducked when Duo suddenly swung a long-handled pan at his head. His reaction was well timed, but he hadn't counted on the boy letting go. He groaned as it rang against the side of his head.

Knowing he didn't have much time, Duo barely paused to enjoy the impact before bolting to his room. The man was fast and he could hear him gaining on him as he was slowed by the stairs, his heart pounding furiously in his chest.

Pausing for a split second, Duo shoved the standing candelabra into his pursuer, gratified when he heard a muffled thump and a loud curse. Unfortunately, he didn't think looking back would be a good idea. He flew to his room.

Heero stared upward and he caught sight of the corner of the boy's skirt as he disappeared around the corner, the sound of his door slamming shut echoing in the castle.

It was a moment before his anger calmed enough for him to get to his feet. He turned on the stairs and glared at the two stricken men, who stood watching him.

"I'm going to bed," Heero said tightly, his eyes narrowed.

"But..."

Quatre flinched as the man turned on him, but continued. "We've been so busy fixing the place and we didn't know when you'd be back so..."

"Spit it out."

"We haven't touched any of the rooms besides the one...Duo...has," Trowa said evenly, taking his lord's anger easily.

"Then get busy," Heero muttered.

He sank down on the steps and shot a glare at the candelabra lying beside him. "Surely you can make it livable for _one_ night."

"Of course." Glancing at Trowa, Quatre nodded as both hurried to do so.

Heero glanced upstairs again as he thought of the boy. He gave a slow sigh, realizing that as much as it infuriated him, the boy had a right to be angry. Still, he couldn't simply release him to his death, and he had no intention of living with a harridan till spring.

He'd have to talk some sense into the boy before his temper got the best of him and he beat him to a pulp.

_- - -  
TBC_


	7. Part 7

Author's Notes: This is a fusion with the book: So Worthy My Love by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. While there will be no text reproduced here, the story line will follow the book's almost exactly, any changes made not too drastic.

Category: Yaoi, AU, Gundam Wing, fusion with a book  
Pairings: 5-2, will be 1x2, vague hints at 3x4  
Warnings: shonen ai  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
Website: www. geocities . com / arigatomina

**Bonds of Love**

_Part 7_

It was so cold when Duo peeked out from beneath the covers that his immediate reaction was to duck back under them again. His brief glance had revealed that the sun was rising, and he knew it was time to get up. But the fire had burned down and his nose twitched at the thought of his bare feet touching the cold floor. He'd removed his dress since the room had been plenty warm when he'd gone to sleep, but now he wished he hadn't. His thin slip was of no comfort to him.

For a moment, he entertained the thought of simply going back to sleep, but he knew he wouldn't be able to. Rising early was a habit he'd gotten into. He finally sat up with an aggrieved sigh, clutching the blanket to him as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

The floor was as freezing as he'd expected. He groaned as his toes curled, and forced his legs to hold still when they tried to get away from the floor. Eventually, he'd grown accustomed to the temperature and despite his shivers, he finally stood.

Taking the blanket with him, he crossed to the antique dresser, scowling when he realized he'd have to wear the dress. While his disguise was obviously useless, it was the only clothing he had so there wasn't much choice in the matter. Huddling beneath the blanket, he dressed within the warm shield before setting the cloth back on the bed.

A glance at the window showed that the sun was, indeed, rising. He let out another sigh as he moved to the bucket of water. Trowa had been kind enough to bring it up to his room before locking him in, but he could tell by the frost on the metal surface that the water was much too cold to wash in.

He glared at the water. Then he blinked and listened to the silence that filled the castle. A slow smile came to his lips.

He knew from the time they'd spent together that Trowa and Quatre didn't rise very early and he wondered if the same could be said about Heero. There wasn't any stirring coming from above and he suddenly realized where the man had no doubt bedded down. There was only one other room in the castle that had a bed, and it was the one he'd noticed when they'd first arrived - the one with the broken door and the hole in the roof.

Duo smirked as he wondered if his captor wasn't miserable with his room, knowing the man had to be colder than he was. His eyes were drawn again to the bucket of water and his heart raced as an idea formed.

The door to the room upstairs had been completely off its hinges and there was no way the two could have repaired it overnight. There was nothing to stop an aggrieved prisoner from gaining entrance, provided, of course, that Heero was still asleep. He thought he would be, considering the distance the man had traveled and the conditions of the snow-covered terrain. And it would be so very fitting...

Mind made up, he slipped his feet into the thin slippers he'd left near his bed. He grasped the cold handle of the bucket, his violet eyes shining. Revenge would be sweet.

He made a tiny detour before climbing the stairs, and he was reassured that there was no one awake below. While he'd never had reason for stealth as a child, he was good at it now. He breathed as quietly as he could, his eyes wide, nervous energy rushing through him.

Without incidence, he reached his destination and he paused in the hall, watching the door that lay against the wall. The doorway to the room was open. A cold breeze tingled about his feet and he grinned at the thought of the man sleeping inside. He hoped he'd catch pneumonia.

It was with tiny steps that he crept to the doorway, and he peeked inside quickly, snapping his head back again. He leaned against the wall and thought about what he'd seen. The hole in the roof hadn't been covered, but a large tub had been placed beneath it to catch whatever snow fell in. The large bed had been surrounded by a thick canopy of blankets and Duo sneered as he realized the man probably wasn't as cold as he'd hoped.

But he would be soon enough.

Duo's eyes narrowing as he looked down at the water. The bucket was almost painfully cold to the touch and he could just imagine what the water would feel like. His quick glance had found his target sleeping so he took a deep breath and slipped into the room.

His feet made no sound when he stepped to the bed. He smiled as he looked at the sleeping man. Then his smile slowly faded as he looked closer. Heero looked younger than he'd thought, his face relaxed as he slept. Duo found his eyes drawn to those smooth features.

While he was covered to the chin in blankets, a golden arm had slipped out, making him appear vulnerable somehow. Heero was completely off guard now.

It was obvious that the man had needed the sleep. His deep breathing was heavy and his brows were relaxed, his face seeming softer than Duo had remembered. For the first time, Duo found himself actually looking at the man, and his lips twitched as he eyed the unruly brown hair that hung over his face.

He was hesitating.

It took nearly a minute before he realized it, but he knew it was true because his arms had dropped. The bucket he'd held high in preparation was now lowered. It seemed wrong somehow, taking advantage of the man's sleep. Duo gritted his teeth, reminding himself of the atrocity that had been committed against him.

He'd kidnapped him. It didn't matter if it was a mistake. Heero knew it was a mistake and he still wouldn't let him go. Duo had told him he'd make him miserable and Duo never lie. Besides that, Heero was a traitor.

Before his determination could diminish, Duo took a small step back, his muscles taut as he swung the bucket. The water arced through the air and Duo followed it with his eyes, watching as it landed square in the sleeping man's face.

Never had he imagined someone could wake so quickly. He was stunned when blazing cobalt eyes flew open. Heero let out a snarl as he sat up, staring around him before locating the boy standing beside his bed.

Duo had taken a few steps back when those eyes had opened, but he froze now, his muscles ignoring him while his mind panicked. The man had leapt to his feet, his fists clenched and his head lowered as he stared at the boy as if the heat of his fury could catch him on fire. And it did in a way, as Duo no longer felt the cold. His eyes were impossibly wide in his face as he stared at the figure standing before him.

Heero was completely naked and Duo's eyes were burning as much as his face. Then Heero moved and Duo's instinct kicked in and he was running for the door.

The man was obviously intent on murder and Duo knew he was gaining when he reached the hall. Turning in mid-flight, he swung the bucket and let go, the pained grunt telling him he'd hit his target. He ran faster, pelting down the stairs.

The loud thump and muttered curse would have been music to his ears if he hadn't heard steps coming fast as the man resumed his chase. By now, though, Duo had reached the second floor and he skidded as he threw himself into his room, shoving the heavy door shut behind him and barring it.

His heart raced, pounding in his ears and he sagged against the wood, resting his forehead on the smooth surface as he relished in his safety.

When the door shook suddenly, he jerked back. His eyes widened as he recognized the sound as Heero hitting it with the palm of his hand. Wondering if the hinges would hold, Duo stopped breathing. He stared at the door in absolute terror.

"_You_..."

The voice was so low Duo barely heard it, but the growling tone sent a shiver down his back as he took another step away from the door.

"If you _ever_...do that again...I'll tear down this door and kill you," Heero said, his voice dangerously cold. "Slowly."

- - -

The sun had reached the middle of the sky by the time Duo got up the nerve to venture from the questionable safety of his room. Mostly, it was hunger that drove him to risk his life, and as bad as the cooking was, he didn't want to die of starvation.

His steps were carefully silent as he crept down the curved staircase. He froze when he spotted Heero seated at the table in front of the fire. The man was looking at him, those cobalt eyes so intense Duo's muscles clenched. He was turning to run back to his room when the man spoke.

"Come down," Heero said, his voice toneless as he stared at the longhaired boy.

He hadn't really gotten over his fury, but he knew killing the boy was taking it too far. Duo obviously wouldn't stand a chance against him and as much as he would have liked to beat him, he wasn't one to resort to such methods.

"I have business to attend to in town and we _will_ straighten this out before I go."

The boy hadn't moved, and Heero's eyes narrowed as his anger threatened to rise again. Then Duo gave a slow nod and moved down the steps.

If it hadn't been so cowardly, Duo would have refused. But his pride had jumped up as he imagined the pleasure the man would no doubt have in knowing he'd frightened him.

"Fine," Duo sniffed. "I was hungry anyway."

He crossed to the fireplace and filled a bowl with the odd-looking substance the large kettle contained, focusing his attention on the prospect of eating the slop as he stirred up his courage. When he was certain he could hold out, he turned with a careless expression and took the seat across from Heero.

"Well," Duo said, his tone coated in dislike, "Talk."

"Hn."

The boy's manner had him on edge and Heero still wanted to hit him. But he also admired the boldness.

"Even if I had a mind to take you back to England, or send you back, there is no way I could do so," he said slowly, watching as those violet eyes narrowed. "The sea is frozen, no ships will be going out. You have no choice but to remain here until spring comes."

Duo looked as if he was about to argue and Heero glared at him, rising suddenly. It would have satisfied him if the boy had flinched, but instead, Duo simply looked at him, anger evident in his bright eyes.

"As it is," Heero continued, "we are forced to share this castle. You _will_ cease your attack against me. Or suffer the consequences. Do you understand?"

"Look," Duo said, suddenly filled with a foreign need to be reasonable. As much as he would have liked to give a smart retort, his sense of self-preservation told him it was a bad idea. "It's not like _you_ have to see me back. Just give me a ride to town and I'll do it myself. I'm sure I can find _someone_ who'd be willing to go. There's no way every single ship is going to stay here all winter."

"No."

There was no give in the man's answer and Duo gnashed his teeth, wanting nothing more than to throw something at him. He would have hit him, but he'd seen the man's build and he knew better.

'_I've seen more than just his build.'_

Flushing at his thoughts, Duo centered his mind quickly. "You're not being reasonable about this. Why would you keep me here? There's no reason to. You said you were going to town anyway, just take me with you and once we're there, I'll be out of your hair."

"I said no," Heero rumbled, glaring at the seated boy. "The discussion is over."

"You jerk, stop talking to me like that!" Duo's sensible side winced as he'd just thrown caution out the window, but he was furious.

"Do not anger me," said Heero. "Or I won't be held responsible for my actions."

With that, Heero turned, throwing on his coat as he strode to the door, not looking back. He'd had enough, with the boy and his tongue. If he'd thought it would do any good, he would have simply explained his reasoning to him, but he knew Duo would never believe him.

He knew from their discussion while he'd been in the guise of a servant that the boy thought him to be a murderer and a traitor. There was no way he'd believe Heero was actually protecting him by keeping him away from England. While the search for the boy's father had been low profile before, it had escalated since he'd left the country. He'd even heard of rewards while he was on board the ship.

It seemed everyone was looking for Ramsey Maxwell...and his son. Heero hadn't thought too much about it when he'd overheard one of the conversations while on the ship, but then, he hadn't known either of the two people that were being hunted.

It was common knowledge that Ramsey had disappeared some months ago and while no one seemed to know who had him, the rumor of his hidden treasure had brought out headhunters all over the place. And, it seemed that someone had let out the news of Duo's disappearance as well. Since he hadn't known who the boy was, Heero never made the connection until he discovered the boy's name.

Now he was convinced it was Edward who had leaked the information. From his knowledge of the man, he no doubt hoped to find the boy so he could have the treasure for himself.

A return to England would mean certain death for the boy now, and as angry as Heero was with him, his sense of honor _was_ still active. It had been he who'd taken the boy away from his hiding place and the disguise that had obviously been able to fool many. He simply couldn't send the boy back now that people would be looking for him. No, he was stuck with the boy, whether he liked it or not.

Clearing his mind as he crossed the courtyard to the stable, Heero nodded to Quatre. The blonde man paused.

"Get him out of that dress," Heero muttered, swinging onto his horse as the pale man had readied it for him. "I'm going to take care of this castle. If he charged you extra, despite faltering in his part of the deal, then by rights we not only own this castle but the surrounding lands as well."

He was speaking of the man he'd rented the manor house from, and he knew that he would get his demands.

"I'll be gone till nightfall, have my door fixed by then. With a bolt for it," he added, remembering his awakening. "Or next time, you'll be cleaning up blood."

Quatre winced as he nodded quickly. He'd heard of the confrontation and as much as he sympathized with the boy in question, he understood Heero's fury. No one stood up to the man, and he wasn't eager to see Duo hurt. He still felt guilty for having done his part in the boy's kidnapping and as soon as Heero left the courtyard, he hurried to follow his orders, catching Trowa quickly. The last thing he wanted was for the oddly brave boy to try that stunt again. He was certain Heero would carry out his threats.

- - -

"Heero, you don't look well at all." Sitting as the cobalt-eyed man joined him, Wufei raised an eyebrow at his friend's intense scowl. "I would have thought your homecoming would be a joyous one. Your betrothed is quite the lady."

Snorting, Heero waved to one of the men serving as he ordered quickly before turning to his friend.

"My _betrothed_ is currently married to another," he said bitingly, scowling at his glass as he leaned over the table. "She is lost to me."

"What?" asked Wufei. "I just saw her not three weeks ago, what's happened?"

His eyes narrowed as he wondered if the girl had escaped somehow and he cursed. "She ran away, didn't she."

"No," said Heero, "she never left England."

The black-haired man's confusion was apparent and Heero slowly forced himself to see the irony. "They took the wrong person."

"No. I don't believe it! How could they? Then...who is she? Who did they take?" Wufei's mind flew and his eyes glinted as he realized what his friend's news meant. English wasn't engaged to Heero, therefore, she was fair game.

"Duo Maxwell," Heero murmured, his own eyes glinting as he took perverse pleasure in his friend's shock. "The _son_ of Ramsey Maxwell."

"What?! But she--"

Wufei choked suddenly, coughing as he bent forward over the table. It was a moment before he recovered, and his eyes bored into Heero's.

"Are you saying she is a boy?" asked Wufei.

The slow way he said it made Heero smirk and he gave a nod. "That's right. And not just any boy, he's a Maxwell."

"Max..." Wufei knew the name, of course he did. Everyone did who had ties with the underground and that included him. "A boy...I can't believe he's a boy..."

"Yes, well, he is." Glaring at the table, Heero shook his head. "And I'm stuck with him. I can't send him back to England, so I'm stuck."

"How could he be a boy?" asked Wufei.

The man was starting to get on his nerves, and Heero sent him a fierce glare.

"Get over it. He's a boy. Why are you having such a hard time accepting that?"

"But...he's so...beautiful."

Wufei was gazing at the table, so he missed the way Heero's eyes nearly fell out of his head, they were so wide with disbelief.

A boy. Wufei supposed that made sense. He'd never met a woman like that, one with such sense, such spirit. He should have known.

When Wufei glanced up, he blinked at his friend's stunned expression, frowning. "What?"

"You think he's _beautiful_?!" Heero demanded. "He's a menace! Infuriating, the epitome of a child that hasn't been taught respect."

"He's not a child," Wufei said, his mind still flying. "And he _is_ beautiful. Didn't you look at him? I don't care if he isn't a girl, he's..."

"Wufei," Heero choked out. "Tell me you aren't actually thinking of-"

"Can I call on him?"

Heero nearly swallowed his tongue. He grasped the table harshly to keep himself from falling over. "What?! Are you insane?"

"Well," Wufei said, raising an eyebrow, "you obviously have no liking for him. I wouldn't mind finding out what sort of person he is. After all, it isn't often you meet a boy who makes such a lovely woman. And _I_ find his spirit alluring."

"You...have gone insane."

Shaking his head, Heero stared at the black-eyed man, unable to understand what he was hearing. Alluring?! Lovely?! Finally, he couldn't do more than wait for himself to calm.

"You want to call on him," said Heero. "As a suitor. You want call on Duo Maxwell?"

"Well, I know it may come as a surprise to you, Heero, but I'm not getting any younger. I happen to appreciate the _boy's_ distinct charms. You obviously are far too caught up with your beloved to see them, but that's understandable. Just give me leave and maybe, I can relieve you of your burden."

"Not by force." Heero blinked at his own sharp command, and scowled for a moment, the recipient of well-deserved outrage. "I apologize. That was uncalled for. He's just gotten my nerve up and I'm on edge. If you truly want me to go along with your insane wish, then I will."

"Good, tell him I'll call on him tomorrow," Wufei said, eyes glinting as he suddenly wanted to smirk.

He couldn't imagine how the boy would react, but he knew it would be a sight. Still, he had been honest in what he'd told his friend, he was intrigued and his attraction wasn't the least bit diminished by the knowledge that 'English' was a boy. "I'm sure he'll be happy to hear it."

"You're being sarcastic, aren't you?" Frowning, Heero wasn't sure if the man was, but he shook his head. "I'll tell him, but I don't think he'll accept the news well."

"Hm."

Wufei wasn't paying too much attention, confident that the boy _would_ be glad to see him. If for no other reason than to check on the money he'd given him to invest. While he didn't like having to use such a method to get on the boy's good side, he took openings where he found them.

"I look forward to this," said Wufei.

"You're insane..." breathed Heero.

- - -

The castle was quiet when he entered it, and Heero moved through the front hall and up the stairs with a troubled mind. He'd known Wufei for years, and he'd thought the man had good taste when it came to women, or men, but now he doubted that taste. It was obvious to him that his friend had either been bewitched somehow, or he'd seen something Heero hadn't.

He paused as he saw Duo's door. His eyes glinted suddenly and he stepped to it, pressing lightly. Sure enough, the door was securely barred and he knew the boy wasn't taking any chances with him. Maybe Duo had taken his warning to heart.

He continued on to his own room. His door was strong and he bolted it with satisfaction, knowing there would be no way the boy could get through it. Thinking of what Duo had done to him, he felt a tiny glimmer of humor. He had to admit it had taken courage. But he wasn't going to let anything like that happen again.

Crossing the room, he glared at the still open hole in the ceiling for a moment before starting a fire. It would do little good, but he still did it. Despite the cold, he took off his coat and hung it on the odd dragon that stood at the corner of the mantle. Then his eyes widened as his coat promptly dipped and the wall beside his bed slid back with a dull grating sound.

He'd been in castles before, and he was acquainted with the habit of building escape tunnels into the walls. With his curiosity peaked, he grasped the candle from the dresser and lit it, stepping into the dark passageway.

It obviously hadn't been used in ages and he held an arm out in front of him to keep the thick cobwebs from hitting his face. The tunnel curved briefly and he found himself moving down some stone stairs before his way was abruptly blocked. With his experience, he quickly found the release for the door, and he frowned as he found himself looking at the back of some sort of thick cloth.

Touching it, he pushed forward, his eyes narrowing when dim light reached him. It was with distinct satisfaction that he viewed the room he'd accessed and he smirked as he looked to the occupied bed, letting the large tapestry fall silently behind him.

The room was much nicer than his, and he felt irritation as he stepped to the bed, eyeing the sleeping boy. If he'd felt a need for revenge, he could have taken it with ease. But he remembered his own words and simply looked at the boy, not wanting to start anything.

Leaning forward so the boy was illuminated by the candle, Heero made a startling discovery and he blinked. He _was_ lovely.

Without a scowl, the boy's features were smooth and Heero stared at the way those long lashes stood out against his cheeks. His hair had come partly undone and it was as if he noticed it for the first time, his eyes moving to the golden glints before slipping to the boy's exposed chest. Lying on his back, Duo had an arm curved over his head, and the blankets had slipped down a bit to just below his shoulders.

How could he have missed this? Was he _that_ distracted?

Staring, Heero understood completely why Wufei had been eager to seek the boy and he nodded slowly. His friend had obviously seen a side of the boy that he hadn't.

It was with very slow movements that Heero tore his eyes away when Duo sighed and shivered slightly, his arm moving beneath the blanket as he pulled them up a bit in his sleep. Heero hadn't really noticed the chill, but he turned to look at the fireplace, seeing the dying embers. Without thinking about what he was doing, he added a few logs to the fire, watching till it caught.

Looking to the boy once more, he shook his head at the thought of having failed to notice the boy's beauty. It wasn't until he lifted the tapestry that he was reminded why he didn't like the boy. His lips twitched. The lock on the outside of the hidden door had been removed.

He left the room silently and gave himself a mental reminder to be nicer to Trowa and Quatre. They had shown great sense in removing the lock. It was obvious that the two had noticed the passageway and weren't about to keep him from having access to the boy's room.

That must have been why they put a bolt on the inside of his door, so he'd think he had a safe place to hide. Clever.

He returned to his room, taking a long board from the broken ceiling, and levered it against Duo's door. That way, the boy wouldn't be able to get into the passageway. Heero still intended to put a lock on his own door just in case, but he could imagine how irritated the boy would be when he tried the door and found that it wouldn't open. If, of course, he'd even noticed it.

He probably had. Yes, Heero was willing to bet he had.

It was with a light heart that Heero moved back to his room, and he slept surprisingly well.

_- - -  
TBC_

_--notes--  
_I wanted to say that there will _not_ be any 5x2 in this fic. There will be 5-plus-2, but the pairing stands as 1x2. There _will_ be a 1x2 lemon, although it will be a while. I just didn't want to get anyone's hopes up or scare any 1x2 fans. The 5-plus-2 will remain 'plus' only.


	8. Part 8

Author's Notes: This is a fusion with the book: So Worthy My Love by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. While there will be no text reproduced here, the story line will follow the book's almost exactly, any changes made not too drastic.

Category: Yaoi, AU, Gundam Wing, fusion with a book  
Pairings: will be 1x2, vague hints at 3x4, beginnings of 5-2  
Warnings: shonen ai, slight language  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
Website: www . geocities . com / arigatomina

**Bonds of Love**

_Part 8_

The sound of hammering woke him, and Heero gave a grateful scowl as he got out of his bed. The cold didn't affect him much as he dressed.

It wasn't like him to sleep in, but he'd had very little sleep during his flight from England, and his body was still struggling to catch up. Once dressed, his eyes moved to the window and he sidestepped the large tub that was filled with partially melting snow.

He reminded himself to have Trowa work on the roof after he finished repairs on the pitiful excuse for a stable. That was obviously what had woken him, and he nodded in satisfaction when he looked down to where the two men were at work. They were trusted allies of his, and they'd helped in his escape, following him even into seclusion.

It was as he looked down, that he saw movement at the window below him, shutters being pushed outward.

Heero don't have shutters. Duo had obviously made sure his own room was repaired with no thought to Heero's.

Despite his thoughts, he didn't really feel angry since he was given a nice view of the boy's bare back and loose hair. It appeared the boy wasn't as scrawny as he'd thought...

Duo was pouring out some water, and he didn't notice his watcher at all. He finished quickly and disappeared from view. Nodding to himself, although he wasn't sure why, Heero slowly moved back from the window. He crossed the room with rapid steps, ready to start his day.

- - -

The sound of soft steps brought his gaze up as the longhaired boy made his way downstairs. Duo'd dropped his female disguise, and Heero found himself frowning at the way the boy looked. The clothing he wore was obviously something from Quatre's younger days, and since the blonde hadn't had much to offer, they were rather pathetic.

The boy didn't seem too bothered by his tawdry appearance, his long hair combed back into a neat braid and his head held high as his violet eyes met Heero evenly. He didn't speak as he moved to the fire, and Heero smirked at the way the boy sniffed at the awful fare.

Since he was being ignored, Heero decided to remind his guest of his presence. He remembered the message Wufei had asked him to give.

Duo didn't react when he felt and heard the man come to stand beside him. It wasn't until Heero leaned against the small table he was at that he glanced over. He had been cutting some of the thick bread so he could eat that rather than the slop, and he paused. Raising an eyebrow, Duo kept himself from glaring as he waited.

"You know," Heero commented, "I'm surprised. Those clothes seem fitting on you. Does this mean you're going to play the servant now? I did so well enough to fool you."

He wasn't sure _why_ he felt the need to irritate the boy, but Heero guessed it was the haughty way Duo was staring at him.

The boy moved suddenly and Heero caught his breath, jerking his hand back with very wide eyes. The long knife had nearly sliced off two of his fingers.

Heero couldn't believe the boy. Duo continued to cut, mindless of his presence.

"It's easy for _you_ to talk," Duo muttered, glaring down at the cutting board as he took some bread and picked up a plate.

He moved to the table but remained standing. His appetite was gone, and the sound of himself being followed irritating him.

It wasn't that he really minded being dressed in rags, but it infuriated him that Heero would mock him. After all, it was his fault. He was certain that if it had been Relena the man would have decked her out in the finest of clothing.

"I'm sure your clothes cost at least two sovereigns," Duo scoffed. "Gold even."

Met with silence, he looked up slowly, his eyes narrowing at the way Heero was staring at him. Then he glared suddenly when he saw those cobalt eyes sweep over his form.

"Are you looking for a replacement for your beloved Relena?" he demanded, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"That would be impossible for you," Heero returned, placing his back to the boy.

There was no way he'd admit that he'd been seriously looking at the boy, and the suggestion had a certain merit. But the boy's words also had his eyes narrowing as he remembered his former betrothed.

They'd only been engaged for a month, but he'd found the girl to be quiet and sweet, unobtrusive in her passive nature. She was absolutely nothing like the spitfire boy.

A few minutes passed as he stared into the fire, and then the sound of bristles brushing the floor had him turning. At first he was doubtful as he watched the boy sweep, but then he smirked.

"It's good to know you're keeping busy," Heero commented, his smirk widening when those violet eyes glared, but Duo didn't look up.

The jerk. While he refused to grace that snide comment with a response, Duo's eyes narrowed more and he sped up his movements. It wasn't long before he brought up a cloud of dust that had even him blinking, but he continued when he noticed Heero's expression. The man coughed roughly, glaring at him as he waved a hand in front of his face.

"Enough," Heero growled, clearing his throat as the boy stopped and turned to face him. "I really have no idea what Wufei sees in you. I should have told him not to bother, you're intolerable."

"What are you talking about?" Duo demanded. He crossed his arms over his chest as he stared at the man with suspicion, having set the broom aside.

"The fool wants to call on you," said Heero. "Though for the life of me, I can't figure out what he'd want with a boy like you."

He'd intended to irritate him, and he thought he'd succeeded when those violet eyes glared suddenly. Then the boy's expression cleared and he took on a thoughtful appearance as his eyes dropped to the floor.

"Does he?" asked Duo. "Wow, that's something I _definitely_ wasn't expecting. But..."

Duo continued to stare down at the floor, then a small glint rose in his eyes. Wufei was probably using this as an excuse to give him his money. After all, it had been a month, and Wufei had said he'd come in a month. He'd have to congratulate the man on his methods. Wufei obviously had Heero baffled.

The longhaired boy smirked suddenly and Heero felt himself growing wary and curious.

"I take it you don't have a problem with that?" asked Heero.

He tried not to let his surprise filter through, but he had fully expected the boy to get furious at the news. Instead, Duo was actually smiling and he blinked at how nice he looked with a happy expression.

"Not at all, Heero," Duo said cheerfully. "When's he coming?"

"Today..." the man said slowly, taken back by the boy's seeming excitement.

"Oh, I'd better hurry then."

Still smiling, Duo turned abruptly and he headed for his room, pausing when the door opened. He caught sight of Trowa and nodded to the tall man, ignoring his wary green eyes. "Would you do me a favor, Trowa? I'd like to try out that brass tub in my room. Could you bring up some water for me? Please?"

"Of course," Trowa said, his tone void of the surprise he felt.

It was the first time the boy had asked him to do something for him, and the 'please' almost threw him off guard. "I'll have Quatre help."

"Thanks a lot," Duo grinned, turning to move up the stairs with quick steps. "You guys are so sweet. It _almost_ makes me regret the hell I put you through."

Trowa blinked as he heard a snort from Heero, but his dark-haired friend had his back turned so he couldn't see his face. Wondering what he'd missed, he stepped outside to find the blonde.

- - -

When the captain arrived, he didn't come alone, a large man was seated in the back of the wagon near some trunks. Spotting Heero, Wufei gave a sharp nod and a disapproving frown when his friend snorted and shook his head.

"What?" asked Wufei.

"You," Heero murmured, not hiding his mirth.

The black-haired man was dressed very nicely, his white shirt accentuating his form beneath the long white coat he wore. It was obvious he was serious about courting the boy and Heero couldn't help but be amused by the sight of the man's chef in the wagon. Still, it would be nice to have a break from the food they'd been living on. He waved Wufei inside.

"Did you really have to dress up for him?" he asked. "I mean, it's not like it'll make a difference."

"What do you mean?" Wufei frowned, stepping in to stand next to the table as he looked around. "Didn't you tell him I was coming? Where is he?"

"I told him," said Heero. "He's upstairs. But don't be too surprised if he comes down equipped with something dangerous. I've never seen anyone more spiteful and unreasonable."

"I am sure he isn't as bad as you put on," Wufei said, his eyes shining as he watched the stairs, waiting eagerly. "Put yourself in his shoes. I see no reason for him to be _courteous_ to you."

"And you aren't also to blame?" Heero muttered, raising an eyebrow. "You brought him here. All I did was attempt to save my betrothed from that _man_...Roland."

"I have been thinking of that," said Wufei.

His voice softened as if he was thinking aloud, and Wufei kept his gaze off his friend. He wondered if he could tell Heero without angering him. "I wonder if you didn't go to get her out of a need for revenge rather than love. After all, she _did_ marry another, and so soon after your departure. She didn't even mourn you for more than a week."

Heero glared as he shook his head, denying the accusation. "It was Edward, I'm sure of it. She never would have agreed if he hadn't forced her to."

"If you..."

Wufei's voice trailed off as he caught movement at the top of the stairs. He turned quickly, his black eyes glinting as he caught sight of Duo. While he didn't approve of the boy's clothing, he appreciated the sparkle in those wide, violet eyes.

He stepped forward, having followed the boy's progress, and took Duo's hand. Raising it to his lips, he smiled. Duo blinked as Wufei brushed a loss over his hand before relinquishing it.

"I admit," said Wufei, "you had me completely fooled with your disguise, but you are still the most beautiful creature I have ever seen."

He was taking it to the extreme, Duo thought, his eyes widening at the sincere quality in the man's voice. But he had to admit, it was slightly flattering to imagine he was speaking the truth. Spotting Heero's intense glare, Duo decided to get into the game.

"You don't seem upset by my trickery," he said softly, managing to look tentative despite the snort from the man who stood near the table.

"Not at all," smiled Wufei. "It is intriguing to meet such an ingenious young man, such as yourself. I never even suspected, but I am not the least bit bothered. Your beauty remains no matter what you dress as."

'_I'm going to be sick.'_

Heero didn't speak as he turned abruptly, and he grabbed his coat, marching toward the door. There was no way he was going to stick around and watch his previously wise friend falling all over the boy.

"Are you leaving, Heero?" asked Duo.

It was hard not to smile when Heero flinched and walked faster, but Duo managed.

"Do not fear, Heero," said Wufei. "I promise to take good care of him in your absence."

Smirking, Wufei watched as his friend left. Then he blinked when Duo laughed suddenly. The boy's voice made him smile. "He didn't look happy, did he."

"Forget about him," Duo said, gesturing toward the table. "I congratulate you on your marvelous ruse. I almost believed you were seriously calling on me for a minute there."

"But Duo, I am." The boy stopped abruptly and stared at him, and Wufei shook his head. "I find myself drawn to you. I _am_ serious in my intent. I wish to call upon you."

"I..."

"Here," said Wufei.

He stepped around the boy and pulled out a chair for him. "I'm sure you wish to know how your investment is going, I'd be more than happy to tell you now that Heero is away."

"Wufei..."

Duo blinked slowly as he was gently pushed down into the chair, and he couldn't think of how he should react. The black-haired man sat down across from him. "You...don't really..."

"Yes, I do," Wufei nodded.

He wouldn't let himself smirk at the boy's shock, but only because Duo looked so lovely with his wide eyes filled with confusion. "Now, then, about your investment..."

- - -

It was very late by the time Heero returned to the castle. Since he'd purposely waited until it had grown late, he was surprised to spot a form standing near the fire, the glints from the person's hair making him recognize Duo. The boy had a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, and he turned slowly when Heero shut the door.

Heero man paused when he saw the dull look in those normally expressive eyes. He frowned at Duo, wondering what had happened during his absence.

"What's wrong? Why are you up?"

"I had a nightmare," Duo said, his voice quiet as he shook his head and pulled the blanket closer to him. "I dreamt that my father was held prisoner somewhere and he was being tortured...with...."

Shaking his head again, he closed his mouth, the horrible visions skirting behind his eyes as he stared at the fire. He didn't want to see those things again. Never had he considered himself weak, but the dream had shaken him badly. It had seemed so real.

"It was a dream," said Heero.

This comment didn't seem to help. Duo shot him a glare, but Heero was satisfied that those violet eyes were shining again. "You shouldn't get upset over a dream."

"Well," Duo muttered, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the man. "I'm sure you're used to seeing people suffer, a murderer wouldn't be bothered by nightmares."

"I didn't kill him."

Duo blinked at Heero's calmness, surprised that there wasn't any defensiveness to be heard, just simple honesty. "Then why were you named a traitor?"

"Edward lied," said Heero. "I told you before, I'm not a traitor. I had already left when the queen's guard died. My only crime was forgetting to get my gloves before I left."

"You're telling the truth." Duo was certain of it, and he blinked sharply as he felt a rush of guilt at how his uncle had sentenced the man to death. "But why would Edward lie like that...? I can't believe he'd do that."

"He did." Heero's eyes dropped suddenly as he noticed the rich carpet the boy was pacing over, and he glared as he realized where it must have come from. "I see Wufei gave you a gift, how kind of him."

The snide comment made Duo's back stiffen, and he abruptly tossed away any regrets he had over condemning the man in his mind. "Yes, it _was_ kind of him."

"And you were forced to meet him dressed in rags," Heero continued, ignoring the boy as he remembered the way Wufei had kissed his hand. "I suppose I'll have to do something about that. I'll take you to the clothier's tomorrow."

Not sure if the man was mocking him or not, Duo stared at him with uncertainty.

"Thank you," he said. "I should tell you, I've hired Wufei's chef. The food here is atrocious, and he is an excellent cook."

Turning, Heero glared suddenly as he realized the boy hadn't access to his funds.

"And what did you pay him with?" Heero asked, his tone insulting. "Favors?"

"You're just worried about your precious money," Duo glared, stepping forward as he tried to express his anger at the accusation. "It was very kind of Wufei to let us have use of his personal chef."

"You fool," Heero mocked. "He didn't do it out of _kindness_."

Glaring, Heero closed the distance between himself and the boy, his cobalt eyes blazing when Duo didn't so much as flinch. "Can't you see he means to make you his lover?"

"As his husband!" Duo cried, his face reddening. "He would _never_ insult me like that!"

Forgetting the blanket, his hand curled into a fist and he suddenly launched himself forward, mindless of the danger. To have Heero insult Wufei, who'd been nothing by the epitome of politeness, was too much.

The sudden attack nearly got to him, but Heero managed to catch the enraged boy's wrists, holding them tight as he stared into those furious eyes. Then he looked down, his own fury rising when he saw the boy's unclothed state.

Duo wasn't wearing a shirt, and his long hair was free to trail down his back, slight waves pronounced in the firelight. The boy didn't seem to care if he was covered or not as he struggled to hit him. Heero gnashed his teeth at the thought of Duo's displaying such a sight.

'_And I bet he showed much more to Wufei.'_

Jerking the boy's wrists, Heero drew him close, his eyes blazing into Duo's.

"Cover yourself," he snarled, giving the boy a shake when those violet eyes widened suddenly and the boy ceased his struggles. "Do you want me to take you? I went to England for a bride."

His voice had lowered, and he nearly hissed the words as Duo's eyes seemed to fill his pale face. "But instead, I got _you_. Now I have needs that can easily be satisfied and if you insist on playing the whore, I'll treat you as such!"

Duo stumbled when he was suddenly released, and he grabbed his blanket quickly, holding it in front of him. Heero had turned, and was already halfway up the stairs by the time his horrified mind got over the man's words. Then it hit him that he'd just been threatened with rape.

His fury warred with his fear, the slight shiver making him even angrier. How _dare_ he?!

His gaze didn't shift until Heero was lost from sight, and he slowly tried to calm his rapid heart as he wrapped the blanket around him again, his movements stilted. The sound of a heavy door being slammed echoed and he suddenly bolted for his room, barring his own door behind him.

While he was furious, he couldn't forget the way Heero had looked at him. He propped a chair against the door for added protection. It was hours before he slept.

_- - -  
TBC_


	9. Part 9

Author's Notes: This is a fusion with the book: So Worthy My Love by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. While there will be no text reproduced here, the story line will follow the book's almost exactly, any changes made not too drastic.

Category: Yaoi, AU, Gundam Wing, fusion with a book  
Pairings: will be 1x2, vague hints at 3x4, beginnings of 5p2  
Warnings: shonen ai  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
Website: www . geocities . com / arigatomina

**Bonds of Love**

_Part 9_

It wasn't working, his lame attempt to distract himself. Just glancing at the sky had him imagining bright violet eyes.

Heero gritted his teeth as he again tried to focus on hunting. So far, he'd yet to spot anything, and he'd been out for hours, having woken long before dawn. In fact, he'd barely slept and by the time the sun rose he was fully convinced of his own idiocy.

There really wasn't an excuse for his behavior the night before, and he didn't know why he'd reacted so badly. While it was true that his lengthy abstinence was getting to him, he'd never before threatened to harm someone the way he had Duo. And even his harsh words to the boy had been a lie. It wasn't rape he'd had in mind.

If truth be told, he'd been about four seconds away from sweeping the boy into his arms and carrying him off to his bed.

His own rush of lust hadn't been unexpected since he was still young, but the pure strength of it made him glare down at the ground. He'd been consumed, pure and simple, and his mind hadn't even thought of what his actions would have meant if he'd done as he'd wanted to. As hard as he'd worked, taking such risks to sneak back into England, and here he was forgetting the one he had gone for.

Until he'd found out his mistake, Relena had been the only one he'd thought of, and it was confusing that he would be so eager to replace her with the infuriating boy. It was true that Duo was attractive, but Heero had thought himself fully dedicated to his betrothed.

Wufei's words now came back to him with a vengeance and as much as he hated it, he was seeing that they had some merit. He'd said he was going for the girl out of love, but now he wondered, he really did.

They hadn't known each other that long, and while the girl had been the epitome of the obedient bride-to-be, he couldn't really think of anything about her that he loved. She was beautiful, but his traitorous mind was quick to bring up images of a certain longhaired boy whose beauty rivaled hers. She was intelligent, but Duo's wits were evidently sharp so that didn't help him either.

No, he couldn't say why he loved her, and that in itself told him that it wasn't really love at all. Instead, he was growing certain that his motives had, indeed, been revenge.

Since he'd known the man, Edward had spoken of his wonderful daughter and Heero hadn't found fault with him when he'd finally met the girl. But he'd noticed that her father did everything for her, bending to her every whim if it were possible.

He knew this, because he'd been amazed that she wasn't spoiled by the treatment. This knowledge, however, told him that if Relena had truly mourned his death then there was no way Edward would have even tried to force her into another marriage. Even if the man had convinced her that Heero was indeed a murderer and a traitor, he didn't think the girl he knew would have thought to marry again so soon. Which meant, he didn't know her as well as he'd thought.

Turning his black stallion back in the direction of the castle, Heero's expression was dark. He now realized that he'd always known.

It had been at the back of his mind, the possibility that the girl had betrayed him as much as her father. Somehow, he'd managed to keep this knowledge from himself, reminding himself of her vows of love.

No, he didn't love her, and last night had proved it without a doubt. Even months of abstinence weren't an excuse for what he'd done, and he grudgingly admitted that he was drawn to the boy. While he wouldn't say it was fondness, since he wanted to strangle him more than hug him, he knew his feelings for Duo were more than any feelings he'd had for Relena. And he'd threatened the boy with bodily violence.

Determined to somehow set things right with the longhaired spitfire, Heero reminded himself of his promise to the boy. It wasn't too late in the morning, and if he headed straight back, they could be in town by noon. Hopefully, a shopping excursion would help to heal the rift, even if it couldn't take away what he'd said.

Heero smirked at his pitiable thoughts, but it was really the only thing he could think of. He couldn't apologize. It just wasn't in him. Besides, he'd meant the warning. If Duo offered, he'd happily take.

- - -

Blood and knives and needles were blazing their way through Duo's mind, but his thoughts had nothing to do with the man who'd angered him the night before. No, he was thinking about the dream. He'd had it again before waking up.

While he didn't believe dreams actually foretold the future, the horrible images were so realistic he found himself shivering and moving closer to the fire. He'd woken as the sun had risen, and he now found himself alone in the castle.

Oh, Wufei's chef was somewhere, but Duo didn't want to bother him, and Quatre and Trowa had disappeared. They'd been working so diligently lately, that Duo hadn't had the heart to ask them to stay and keep him company as he waited for Heero to come back. Before he'd left, Trowa had told him that the man had ridden out hours before, and Duo was convinced it would be a long time before he returned.

He'd tried to hold himself on the threat Heero had given him, rather than focusing on his father, but for some reason, he couldn't do it. Actually, he thought he knew the reason and this revolved around an odd conviction he had that Heero wouldn't really hurt him.

That was stupid, since he knew the man had fought for the Queen in the past and that violence was no stranger to him. Add to that the fact that he'd threatened to rape him and Duo found himself wondering where his certainty came from. But whether or not he knew why, he was sure Heero had spoken out of anger and that he didn't really mean what he'd said.

Duo smiled suddenly as he realized his mind had managed to divert itself after all. He stretched slowly. Pondering his odd captor was a much better way to pass the time, and it was with a sigh that he walked the length of the hall and paused at the door. It wasn't snowing, and the air wasn't accompanied by the usual biting wind.

Throwing on the rough cloak Trowa had lent him, he decided to go for a quick walk. The cold reminded him of Heero's promise, and he found himself wondering if the boy would still be willing to take him to town. He really wanted some better clothing. Also, if he could, he wanted to try and find Wufei.

The black-haired man hadn't brought his money when he'd visited, but Duo knew he had it on his ship. The thought of Heero's not returning for the excursion made him frown, and he left the castle so he could walk through the surrounding brush.

Duo still didn't know what he'd done to set the man off, and that bothered him. He liked to know such things. It was helpful in predicting future reactions.

As far as he could tell, he hadn't done anything wrong. They'd been arguing, yes, but no more than they'd done since they'd met so that didn't explain it.

Sighing, Duo pushed his way through some brown bushes. Then he stopped abruptly with a grimace. He raised his hand and glared at the small spot on his finger before looking down. They were thistles, so many that he was amazed he hadn't managed to hurt himself pushing through them so thoughtlessly.

As it was, inspection revealed that his dark cloak had managed to catch a number of the nuisances and he picked them off with a distasteful face. Then his expression changed, a slow smile rising as he suddenly let out a sharp laugh.

While he'd already gotten over his fright from the night before, he reminded himself that Heero hadn't had cause for his words and the man _did_ deserve some sort of retaliation.

'_And I'm so ingenious when it comes to retaliation.'_

Duo snickered again as he pulled off the cloak, and he was very glad that the castle was deserted at the moment. Luck was definitely on his side, and he ran the rough cloth over the bushes, watching with bright eyes as the little burs caught and stuck to it. As he worked, his thirst for revenge grew and it was with a light step that he made his way back to the castle, the precious bundle wrapped in his cloak. Even the cold couldn't put a damper on his spirits.

Trowa and Quatre still weren't in sight when he got back to the castle, and Duo ran up the stairs quietly. It took him less than a minute to reach Heero's room, and his grin nearly split his face as he took the time to sit down on the man's bed. For a rude person, Heero was rather neat, and the bed was made well, no wrinkles evident.

Duo knew how to make beds, so he didn't worry about unmaking it. He gleefully pulled the covers back so that the mattress was revealed. It wasn't until he started to pick the burs off the cloak that he found a problem. It was difficult to keep from getting pricked by the sharp things. Then his eyes moved around the room and halted on the comb that sat on the dresser. Sure enough, the burs combed off easily and Duo made certain the mattress was evenly coated before he remade the bed.

His smirk bordered on evil when he left the room, but he was convinced his actions were deserved.

- - -

The horse was ancient, and Heero frowned as he slowed his stallion even more, not wanting the boy to get too far behind. Duo had yet to complain about the steed, but Heero wondered if that were because he didn't mind, or because he didn't want to speak to him. The boy had yet to say a word, and while he'd moved quickly to join Heero on the trip to town, Duo hadn't so much as looked at him.

Well, he had looked at him once, but only because Heero had laughed at him. He hadn't meant to, but the Duo's expression had been hilarious when he'd seen the horse Quatre brought out to him.

It was obvious that the blonde man thought to either please Duo or cheer him up, because the old white horse's mane and tail had been decorated in small ribbons, the braids very cute despite the animal's looks.

Personally, Heero thought Quatre had done it in an attempt to make Duo laugh, but it didn't really matter. Duo had soberly thanked him for the effort, his twitching eyebrow the only sign of his discomfort. Heero didn't know if the boy had meant the soft comment to be sarcastic, but it had sounded honest enough.

Glancing over again, he met Duo's eyes for a moment before the boy looked away again and Heero faced forward as they neared the town.

Duo was embarrassed to be riding the ridiculous looking horse, but he really didn't know what to do about it. Quatre's expression had seemed so hopeful when the blonde had led out the gelding that Duo didn't want to risk hurting his feelings. Also, he was sure that Heero got a kick out of his riding the creature and he wasn't willing to let the man know how uncomfortable it made him.

If Quatre had gone to the trouble to try and make the horse look better than it had when they'd bought it, then Duo wasn't going to complain. He'd just have to remember to take the man aside sometime in the future and explain to him about the inappropriateness of a guy riding a horse with ribbons.

Actually, Duo smiled a bit as he imagined telling the man that. He suddenly wasn't bothered by the odd looks he and Heero were drawing from the people they passed.

The town was as small seeming as ever, and Duo kept his eyes alert as he watched for the dock he'd found before. Unfortunately, Heero seemed to know exactly where he was going and there wasn't time to do any exploring before the man stopped in front of a small shop.

It was with a carefully masked wince that Duo looked down at the snow-trodden ground and the mud that had been mixed. He was very glad he'd be getting new clothes, and boots would be the first thing on his list.

Heero noticed Duo's look as he dismounted, waving a boy over to take the horses. His own boots were high enough so he didn't have to worry about the thick mud, but he could see why Duo would be hesitant to walk in it. His thin shoes were more than inappropriate.

Stepping to him, Heero barely kept himself from smirking when the boy looked up with a wary expression.

"Here," said Heero, "I'll help you to the walkway. The mud is thick."

Duo didn't move when the man's hands touched his waist, and he was ready to say no. Unfortunately, he doubted he'd be able to get new shoes that day, and he really didn't want to walk around in mud-soaked ones. And then there was the fact that his pants would also get ruined.

Instead of arguing, he sighed and placed his hands on Heero's shoulders as the man pulled him out of the saddle, catching him against his chest. Then Duo gasped as Heero took an unsteady step back. He closed his eyes tightly, waiting for the man to fall.

With a smirk, Heero watched Duo's closed eyes, noting the strong grip on his neck as the boy's face was a portrait of expectation. Nearly a minute passed before those violet eyes opened a bit, and Duo's confusion made him want to laugh.

A light blush reached his cheeks, and Duo turned his head, his grip loosening a bit. Still smirking, Heero carried him to the wooden walkway and set him on his feet, noting that the long-haired boy had yet to glance back at him.

Duo cursed himself as the man stepped by him and opened the door to the shop. He quickly cleared his face and followed him. The woman inside smiled brightly, and it was obvious she'd met with Heero before because she seemed honestly happy to see him.

This was probably where Heero bought _his_ clothes. She'd have to love the fortune he spent there.

Duo shoved his thoughts aside and focused on what Heero was saying.

"I'll be back in about an hour," Heero murmured, glancing at Duo's frown. "I'm sure you'll find plenty to keep him occupied. It would be better if he didn't wander around alone, so I will come back to pick him up after I've taken care of my business."

The woman nodded quickly, and Heero knew she wouldn't let the boy out of her sight. Duo obviously thought the same thing, and Heero's eyes glinted as he turned to face the boy.

"Here," he said, handing him a small sack of money. "I'm sure this should be plenty. I'll see you in an hour."

Duo's eyes nearly filled his face when the man suddenly kissed his cheek. He flushed furiously when the woman smiled, no doubt thinking it was cute. Obviously, she thought he was a younger relation of Heero's, and the way the man practically patted his head before leaving made Duo feel as if he _were_ a child. Then he saw him riding his horse off, and he shoved his anger aside, turning to the woman sharply.

"I'm afraid I must ask a favor of you," said Duo. "I need you to send someone to fetch a Captain Chang Wufei for me. He'd be in the shipyard, I'm sure."

The woman looked wary, and she shook her head quickly. "But lord Yuy didn't say anything about that."

"No, he didn't. But you see," Duo gave her a light smile, knowing the airs he was assuming had her cowed. "I'm afraid I intend to spend a great deal more than this," he hefted the bag with glinting eyes. "And at the moment the Captain has my funds. So I really must ask you to send someone for him. I will, of course wait here. I wouldn't want to be walking around alone."

This seemed to reassure the woman as he wasn't planning to go against Heero's words, and she finally nodded. Duo watched as she called a boy over, and he smirked at how quickly his orders were followed.

- - -

Wufei was more than happy to assist him, and Duo was actually seeing benefits to the man's liking him. Of course, he didn't think he'd asked for anything a friend wouldn't have done.

Since he didn't want to be indebted to Heero, Duo had given his money to Wufei to invest, and he spent his own instead. It was actually a good thing he had his own money because, as he'd truthfully told the woman, he planned to spend a great deal more than Heero had given him.

Whether he ended up staying until spring, he knew his eventual return to England would be better if he had appropriate clothing. Besides, he was eager to dress better than he'd been doing, especially since he could wear men's clothing. It had been a while since he'd had the pleasure of shopping for himself, and unlike some men, he did have pride when it came to his appearance. Wufei evidently approved because he was quick to tell him if his choices were good or not.

In the end, the woman was unable to keep him in the shop, and Wufei reassured her, saying to simply tell Heero that he and Duo would be in the nearby inn at the end of the hour. With that, he escorted the boy out of the shop and to the next one where he could put in an order for new footwear.

He'd never considered himself a fancy dresser, but Wufei had a good eye when it came to what looked good and what was worth buying, so he saw to it that the boy wasn't cheated. Of course, Duo had a way of haggling that made him smirk, and he doubted if his help were really needed.

He was pleased that the boy had sought him out, even if it was only because he had his wealth. The fact that Duo had felt comfortable seeking him was, to him, a step forward. The smile on the boy's face was also a step, and he took pleasure from it, knowing that had he not been there, Duo wouldn't have been so happy.

Duo didn't even seem to mind resting his hand on Wufei's arm, and the black-haired man was careful not to push the boy. The contact was enough for the moment, and the ease with which the boy addressed him was satisfying. Duo was comfortable with him, and that was something Wufei didn't intend to take for granted.

_- - -  
TBC_


	10. Part 10

Author's Notes: This is a fusion with the book: So Worthy My Love by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. While there will be no text reproduced here, the story line will follow the book's almost exactly, any changes made not too drastic.

Category: Yaoi, AU, Gundam Wing, fusion with a book  
Pairings: 1p2, will be 1x2, vague hints at 3x4, beginnings of 5p2  
Warnings: shonen ai  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
Website: www . geocities . com / arigatomina

**Bonds of Love**

_Part 10_

To say that Heero was angry was an understatement. His intense glare caused more than one person to step quickly out of his way. As he'd said, he'd returned to the shop after an hour's time. The woman had been righteously nervous when she'd explained Duo's absence, and Heero hadn't bothered to reassure her. He was more focused on finding Wufei and breaking his neck.

Of course, Duo was also the focus of his anger, and the search to find the two of them did nothing to calm him. It seemed the longhaired boy had enjoyed his shopping trip, and shop after shop complimented the boy on his taste. The fact that he'd purchased so many things told Heero that the boy had spent nearly three times the amount he'd given him. Heero was furious.

It was evident to him, that the boy had done it out of spite, hoping to ruin Heero's credit within the town. He'd hoped the trip would help to heal the tear between them, but it was obvious that the boy wanted nothing of the sort.

Still, Heero tried to calm himself as he approached the inn the woman had directed him to. His calm side was telling him that the two were no doubt eating there, rather than taking advantage of the building's other offerings. As much as his mind tried to envision Wufei and Duo in a room, he knew the black-haired man would do no such thing.

'_No. He'd take him back to his ship instead.' _

His eyes narrowed as he spotted them, and he sneered a bit at the happy way Duo laughed, his gaze centering on the boy's hand where it was held by both of Wufei's. Then they noticed him, and the violet-eyed boy's smile wavered a bit as he pulled away.

"Heero, I see you've managed to find us," Wufei said easily.

He could see that his friend didn't look happy, but he shrugged that aside. It was seldom that Heero _did_ look happy. "I'm afraid we've just finished our meal. Of course, we can call the serving woman over if you wish to dine?"

"No," Heero said coldly, his eyes sparking a bit as he tried to hide his anger.

There was no way he'd admit to Wufei that he was jealous. He didn't even want to admit it to himself. Instead, he centered his attention on the boy seated at the table, noting that Duo met him without any wariness. "I hear you've finished your shopping."

"Yes. I must thank you," Duo smiled, "Hopefully it won't be too long before they finish the clothing. And I did manage to get a few items they already had made."

"How nice," said Heero. "Let's go."

Duo blinked at the man's coldness, shooting a confused glance to Wufei when Heero abruptly turned his back on them. He couldn't figure out what had the dark-haired man angry, but it was obvious that he was.

Wufei shrugged his shoulders lightly, then stood, pulling back Duo's chair for him. Smirking, Duo shook his head at the man's chivalrous action, fighting his light laughter when his hand was kissed.

"I shall call on you again, soon," Wufei promised, not so much as glancing at Heero, who'd turned to glare at him. He was staring into sparkling violet eyes. "Until then, Duo."

"Thank you for your assistance," Duo remarked, his playful spirit bounding at the treatment.

He knew the man was serious in his attentions, and while he really couldn't see himself marrying him, he was willing to play along. It was wonderful for his pride. "I'll be looking forward to your visit."

Heero snorted, and Duo raised an eyebrow at him as he moved away from Wufei, following the man to the door. "Is something wrong, Heero?"

Not answering, Heero moved quicker until they were out of the building, and he walked to his black horse, swinging himself into the saddle in a sharp move. He was only grateful that Wufei hadn't followed them out. The man would probably have helped Duo mount. The boy wasn't weak, and Heero couldn't see how he would need such assistance.

He frowned a bit, noticing that Duo was standing outside the inn's door, looking around in blatant confusion. "This is your horse."

Duo frowned for a moment, as he stared at Heero in suspicious disbelief. Then his eyes turned to the white stallion that stood a few feet away. In comparison, the gelding he'd rode in on was a pack horse. He suddenly felt a twinge of guilt as he realized what Heero had done during his absence.

'_He bought me a horse? Why?'_

Cobalt eyes gave no hint as to the man's thoughts aside from visible impatience, and Duo spurred himself into movement, nodding his head slowly. "Thank you, Heero."

"Hn."

He still wanted to yell at the boy for having squandered his money, and for the display he'd put on with Wufei. Unfortunately, his anger was quickly draining away as he stared at the boy's happy expression. Duo was circling the animal, and Heero could tell he knew about horses from the way those fine hands touched it carefully.

"You made a wonderful choice," Duo said softly, marveling at the steed. "Why, he's almost as fine as Shinigami."

Heero's eyes narrowed sharply, hearing how easily the boy said his horse's name. Then he realized Duo must have seen the animal before. After all, Edward had kept him.

Violet eyes were watching him, and he raised an eyebrow when the boy gave a slow smile. "What?"

"Does he have a name?" asked Duo. He was suddenly determined to be nice to Heero, and he felt a need to rid him of his intense scowl.

"Wing."

"That's nice." Mounting, Duo gave another smile as the horse held beneath him, its ears twitching back. "Well, shall we?"

"Hn."

- - -

It wasn't that late when they reached the castle again, but the sky was dark with clouds, making the white of the snow seem eerily gray. The snow was still soft, and the steps of their horses were silenced as the entered the courtyard. This, no doubt, was why their abrupt appearance managed to startle the young man who'd been standing guard.

Actually, he hadn't been paying too much attention to the gate, and he jumped and reeled away from Trowa when the man's head snapped up. The white horse seemed to shimmer in the dark, and Quatre let out a gasp of both fright and surprise. His foot slipped on the icy patch he stood on.

Duo's eyes had widened when he'd spotted the two men, and he'd smiled at their embrace. As a result, he was completely caught off guard when the blonde turned toward he and Heero, slipping abruptly. Trowa caught him, but the staff that had been leaning against the wall was knocked away as the shorter man's hand hit it.

It spun across the ice and struck Wing's front legs. The horse reared suddenly, and Duo let out a sharp cry as he was pitched back.

The disaster was averted by Heero's quick reaction. Spurring his own steed forward, he grabbed the boy and pulled him from the saddle. Wing was still bucking, but Heero turned his eyes from the when Trowa rushed in its direction.

His attention was brought to the boy in his arms. He could feel Duo's heart racing as the boy pressed against him, his face hidden near his neck. Those strong arms were wrapped around his waist, and Heero's eyes softened at the way the boy clutched him.

Lowering his head, he inhaled the scent of Duo's soft hair, letting it touch his cheek before turning so he could whisper in his ear.

"You're all right," he said softly, noting how shaken the boy was.

Duo opened his eyes at the whisper, blinking when he found himself holding tight to Heero. He blushed furiously. His arms didn't seem to want to obey him when he tried to loosen his grip, and he had trouble looking at the man.

"Thanks," he said, wanting to get off the man's lap and blushing even darker because he was afraid to move while _on_ the man's lap. Heero was holding him, his hands touching his back and the warmth was nicer than he cared to admit.

"I'm fine," said Duo. Glancing up, he was surprised at how warm those cobalt blue eyes were, and he forgot his embarrassment. "Heero...?"

"I'm going to dream of you tonight," Heero promised, not hiding his lust as those wide eyes stared into his. Then Quatre's voice broke the moment as the man hurried to apologize for his clumsiness.

- - -

In a trance-like state, Duo had moved to his room, still stunned by the way Heero had looked at him. It wasn't until he'd slid beneath his covers that he remembered.

He sat up with a horrified gasp, his eyes widening. For a moment, he couldn't move, then he slowly tilted his head back so he could look up at the ceiling in horror.

In the light of Heero's gift of the horse, and then the shock upon their arrival at the castle, he'd completely forgotten about what he'd done. His heart sank down into his stomach as he remembered the thistles he'd placed in the man's bed.

'_And he was so nice! He was so nice to me! Damnit...this isn't fair...'_

He lay down with a soft moan, curling up and resigning himself to the angry cry he knew he'd hear once Heero turned to his own bed. They had made such progress, the man had been kind, and he repaid him by a stupid prank. It was simply too much.

- - -

Heero leaned against the wall, letting the shadow mask his presence as he stared at the boy seated at the table. Duo looked nervous. Heero smirked since he knew why.

He'd been in an odd mood when he'd retired the night before, but he'd sat up sharply after finding that his soft bed wasn't so soft. But the discovery of the small burs hadn't bothered him as much as Duo obviously expected.

Heero shook his head as he looked at him. Duo was leaning forward over the table, and he could tell from those fretful hands that the boy expected him to come down angry.

'_He probably stayed up all night waiting for me to yell at him. He doesn't know what to expect.'_

Duo jumped a bit when he spotted movement on the stairs, and his wary gaze swept over Heero. The man's face didn't seem to harbor any anger, and Duo fought the need to bite his lip in confusion. Then Heero had reached him, and he waited, wondering what the man would say.

"Did you sleep well?" asked Heero.

That wasn't what he'd expected, but Duo managed not to show his worry as he gave a sharp nod. "Yes..."

"I didn't," Heero said smoothly, sinking into a chair across from him. "I admit, I ended up falling asleep in the chair in my room, not at all comfortable. I couldn't sleep, you see, because I was too busy thinking about you."

Duo's eyes widened at the statement, and Heero couldn't help but smirk. "I was wondering what I would have to sell to make up for what you spent yesterday."

He'd just been about to sag with relief that the man hadn't slept in his bed, but Duo straightened at his words.

"You won't have to worry about it," Duo said quickly. "I made up the extra myself. You see, I had my own money."

"Really."

Heero's eyes narrowed as he thought about this revelation, and he would have nodded, but he'd heard from the shopkeepers how much the boy had spent. While it was possible that Duo might have indeed had money when he'd been taken, there wasn't a likelihood that he'd had as much as he'd obviously spent. "You had that much when you were taken? It's an exuberant amount."

Duo gritted his teeth a bit at the man's question. He would have liked to simply say yes, but he didn't lie.

"I had some help," he admitted, looking away. A glance at the man's face wasn't necessary, as he could imagine the way Heero would twist that statement.

'_Wufei. And what did you sell, Duo?'_

Heero didn't speak, his gaze dark as he stared at the boy's profile. He really wanted to yell, but he knew he had no place complaining. Careful thought had revealed that he'd been wrong to think of his friend in such bad light. He knew Wufei wouldn't dishonor the boy by taking him out of wedlock.

Still, the thought of Duo being married to his friend rankled him badly. "I don't think you would be happy married to him."

Frowning, Duo looked up and was surprised by Heero's straightforward gaze. For once, the man didn't seem to be mocking him. "Why not? He's nice. He has many redeeming qualities. And I like him well enough."

"He's also the captain of a ship," Heero said, nodding at the boy's confusion. "He is a runner during wartime, and I doubt he would take the risk of bringing you with him. Marriage to him would be a lonely thing."

"I don't need constant attention," Duo said, frowning when the man in front of him raised an eyebrow. "If I married him - and I'm _not_ saying I will - but _if_ I did, I'm sure he'd make my time alone reasonable, it's not like he would abandon me."

"If marriage is what you're after," Heero said, his eyes narrowing as his mind screamed at him to shut up, "You should marry someone who will be there for you. Someone who won't leave you by yourself."

"Like you?"

Duo nearly bit his tongue off, but the words escaped first, and he gritted his teeth as he waited for the man's reaction. As it was, Heero snorted and smirked at him, making him flush at his bold retort.

"Just leave me alone," he muttered, turning his head so he wouldn't have to look at him. "Whether I marry or not, it's not your concern."

_- - -  
TBC_


	11. part 11

Author's Notes: This is a fusion with the book: So Worthy My Love by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. While there will be no text reproduced here, the story line will follow the book's almost exactly, any changes made not too drastic.

Category: Yaoi, AU, Gundam Wing, fusion with a book  
Pairings: 1p2, will be 1x2, vague hints at 3x4, beginnings of 5p2  
Warnings: shonen ai  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
Website: www . geocities . com / arigatomina

**Bonds of Love**

_Part 11_

Since Trowa and Quatre had elected to spend the day fixing the hole in the roof over Heero's room, Duo found himself at a loss as to what he should do to pass the time. He'd wanted to get in there so he could remove the thistles before Heero slept, but it seemed that fate was determined to conspire against him.

He found himself wandering around and he eventually went to his room. He absolutely despised being bored, and he'd just made up his mind to make his room more comfortable when he noticed a draft. It wasn't that bad, but he followed it, and he found himself facing the large tapestry that hung over his wall.

He hadn't tried the hidden passageway, having discovered that it no longer opened, and he was certain he had Trowa to blame. The man had noticed it, after all, and it wasn't surprising that he'd blocked it off.

Duo pushed the tapestry aside, fingering the place where his lock had been as he wondered why the man had bothered removing it. If he couldn't get inside the passage anyway, he really didn't see a point in taking off the lock.

He couldn't think of a reason, and he slowly let the tapestry go. Then he let out a curse as the heavy cloth promptly fell onto him, knocking him to the floor.

Coughing from the dust that remained on the underside of the thing, Duo shoved it off him, brushing his bangs out of his face as he looked upwards. The hinges that had held the heavy cloth had come loose, and he could see the holes where they'd been inserted into the wall. Pulling the thick tapestry off the floor, he searched for them, and muttered as he found that they were hooks rather than hinges. It didn't really matter though.

He stood on his tiptoes as he quickly screwed them back into the wall. They held rather well, and while he wondered if they would come loose again, none of his pulls ended with him on the ground, so he figured they would hold. It wasn't until he tried to put the tapestry back up that he met a problem.

"Ugh! Damn thing..."

Heero halted sharply at the muttered curse, and he raised an eyebrow at the boy's language. Then he glanced through the open doorway and his eyes widened at the sight.

Duo was leaning against the wall, the tapestry held up over his head, and he almost managed to hook one of the two rings when he suddenly overbalanced and stumbled back, nearly falling over. It was too much, and Heero couldn't help himself.

Blinking at the bark of laughter, Duo turned and glared when he saw Heero. He was not the least bit amused. But those cobalt blue eyes sparkled in a way he'd never seen before, so he wasn't _that_ angry.

"Why don't you _help_ me instead of laughing?" Duo sniffed. "This thing's heavy."

Smirking, Heero moved forward, pausing a bit when Duo again shoved the thick cloth against the wall. He stepped behind the boy, reaching over him to hook one of the rings while Duo held the tapestry.

It was as he was doing the same to the second one that he found himself stilling, his body very aware of the lithe form he was pressed against. His arm moved slowly as he let his hand fall, and his fingers brushed Duo's hip. His breath sped up.

Duo froze abruptly, his eyes widening as he felt that muscled body moving closer and he leapt away before he could be pinned against the wall.

"You cad!" he accused, his outrage tangling his tongue even though he knew there were worse things he should be calling the man.

Those eyes were intense as they turned to him, and Duo swallowed at Heero's expression, taking another step back.

"You _do_ need a wife," he said quickly, managing to glare at the man. "You're like stag or something!"

"Are you proposing yourself?" Heero asked smoothly. His blood was still burning from the contact, and he longed to pull the boy back to him, Duo's flushed cheeks making him lick his lips. "Are you, Duo?"

The boy turned red and sputtered, seeming to choke at his question and Heero stepped a bit closer to him, his eyes dark. "I would be a better husband than Wufei, I can assure you. You'd never go un...satisfied."

If anything, the boy choked even more, and Heero smirked when Duo suddenly turned his back on him.

"You're impossible," Duo muttered, grateful his tongue was working again. "I have better things to do than stand here and listen to your nonsense."

Silence met him, and he turned warily. He frowned when he found the man gone. He looked around, but the room was empty, and he folded his arms over his chest, scowling at the doorway.

The man's behavior confused him. While he was certain Heero was mocking him, he had a lingering doubt, especially since the man obviously _was_ attracted to him. He'd _felt_ that much.

Duo blushed as he remembered. Cursing under his breath, he stalked to the door and shut it firmly.

Lunchtime found him still in his room, and Duo didn't so much as get up from where he sat, cross-legged on his bed. Calling through the door, he told Quatre that he didn't feel like eating, using a headache as an excuse.

It was true that his head was aching, but this was mostly because he'd managed to humiliate himself earlier. Living with Relena had taught him the excuse, and he was relieved when Quatre left quickly, the man not prodding him.

He really didn't want to see Heero, not when the man would undoubtedly make fun of him. It wasn't that he thought _he_ was the one who'd acted out of order. Heero had been the one pushing the lines of proper conduct. But Duo still wanted to slap himself.

'_I practically did offer myself up. Saying he needed a wife. But not me. No way in hell.'_

Heavy knocks landed on his door, and he glared, glad he'd put the bolt on it earlier.

"Go away," he muttered, wondering what would lead the man to return. He'd thought Quatre was more understanding than that.

"Are you sick?" asked Heero.

Blinking sharply, Duo was caught off guard by the tone as well as the identity. Heero sounded both worried and angry. He quickly glared again.

"I just have a headache," he called. "I want to be left alone."

"Open the door."

Duo sneered at the order and got off the bed. "What about alone don't you understand? Don't you have anything better to do than to bother me? Just go away, Heero."

"I'm not leaving until you open this door," Heero said coldly, his low voice not holding any room for compromise. "Unless you want me to break it."

"God!"

Heero raised an eyebrow as Duo threw the bolt back and the door was yanked open. He looked over the boy carefully, taking in every angry inch of him as the longhaired boy glared.

"Here," Heero said, handing him a tray.

Having done that, he turned and walked down the hall without another word. He hadn't really been worried, but Quatre's message that Duo was too sick to eat had struck a nerve, and he'd been compelled to check. As little time as he'd known the boy, he had noticed that Duo had a great appreciation for food.

"Uh..." Duo said intelligently.

He stared down at the tray, blinking quickly. Then he leaned into the hall and looked after Heero's retreating form.

"Thanks!" he called, his confusion making him a bit slow.

He couldn't help but give a small smile when he moved back into his room, shutting the door but not bothering to bar it. Obviously, he didn't need to worry about facing Heero. The man hadn't said anything about their confrontation.

'_And he brought me my lunch...'_

It was with a wide smile that Duo sat on his bed again. His head didn't seem to hurt at all when he quickly began eating.

'_I don't know what to make of him. But sometimes...he's sweet...'_

- - -

Heero smirked when Duo came down the stairs the next morning, noting that the boy was once again nervous.

'_I wonder how long it will be before he just asks me about the bed.'_

Duo boy glanced at him, and he stood, not sitting again until the boy had taken a chair across from him.

"I see your headache is gone," Heero murmured, smirking when he received a disgruntled look. "I'm afraid I'm the one who has one now, along with a crook in my neck. This storm is bad."

Duo nodded, and Heero quickly rid himself of his smirk when he saw the boy's hopeful expression. "With the repairs on my roof, the room was much too hot to sleep in."

Wondering how long his luck would hold out, Duo hid a quick smile. He was relieved that Heero still hadn't found the burs in his bed, but he couldn't help but wonder at his luck. It wasn't natural for him to be so lucky.

"The storm is pretty bad," he commented, smiling when he took a bite of the breakfast the cook set before him. The man was truly wonderful at his job. "It's snowing hard out there."

"Yes. I suppose it will take Wufei a while to get here in this weather." Heero's eyes glinted when the boy looked surprised.

"That would be stupid," Duo said, frowning at the man. "He wouldn't risk coming all the way out here in this storm. There's no way he'd do something like that. No, we won't be seeing him _today_."

The boy seemed convinced, and Heero raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slowly.

"Oh really?" asked Heero. "Would you like to make a wager on that?"

Duo blinked sharply, and Heero smirked at him. "Well?"

"What kind of wager?" asked Duo.

He was convinced he was right, but the man's tone sounded odd to him, and it wasn't like the Heero he thought he knew to play games.

"I'll bet...a night in my bed," said Heero.

"You're probably right," said Duo.

Heero let out a sharp laugh at that quick agreement, enjoying the flush that passed over Duo's cheeks. He'd known the boy would back down from his taunt, but it was still nice to envision what would have resulted if Duo _had_ taken the wager. His lips curled into a small smile at the thought. "I knew you'd see it my way."

"Whatever," Duo said quickly, focusing his entire attention on clearing his plate as quickly as he could without being rude. When he was finished, he quickly thought of an excuse to leave the table.

"So Wufei is coming, is he?" he asked. "Well, I suppose I might as well prepare for his visit. After all, if he goes to the trouble to brave _this_ storm, the least I can do is greet him when he gets here."

Heero's expression darkened a bit, and Duo gave him a sweet smile.

"I think I'll just ask Trowa to bring me some water for a bath. I wouldn't want Wufei disappointed."

Glaring as the boy quickly escaped to his room, Heero stood. Then his eyes caught on the two men as Quatre and Trowa brought the water up. He waited, leaning against the wall, until they'd finished and he heard the sound of Duo's door being shut.

The loud thud of the bar falling into place made him smirk, but even he was surprised to hear a scraping sound. He fought the need to laugh as he realized Duo must have placed a chair against the door for added protection. Obviously the boy hadn't taken his threat to break the door lightly.

'_But I don't need to go through that door if I want in...'_

Heero's eyes glinted suddenly, and he stopped Quatre, who was carrying an empty pail.

"I need that," he said sharply, not explaining.

- - -

The hot bath was a luxury he'd never get enough of, and Duo sighed as he sank lower until his shoulders were beneath the water. His long hair was tied around his head since he didn't want it to get wet, and he made a pleased sound, closing his eyes.

It was the feel of something cold hitting his nose that made his eyes snap open. He spotted a pail of water held over his head and let out a startled cry. Leaning forward, he threw his arms up and waited for the icy downpour.

"I threw the thistles into the fire two nights ago," said Heero.

Duo blinked at the low voice, and he slowly peeked up at the man, confused when Heero simply stood there. Then he realized the man wasn't looking at his face.

Duo turned red, drawing his knees up to his chest and he glaring furiously at the water.

"If you're going to do it just do it!" he cried, "Hurry up and get the hell out of here!"

Heero didn't move, his eyes hot from the sight he'd seen. The boy had a body that he knew would haunt him for the rest of his life, and his own body was so tense he felt a physical pain. He let his gaze sweep over the curve of the boy's smooth back, dipping down to his bent legs and marveling at the clearness of the water as it failed to hide anything at all.

"Duo..."

The boy didn't speak, but he did look at him, and the absolute fury in those violet eyes made him smirk.

"I'll spare you the full pail," Heero said softly. "Feel free to use it if your bath gets...too hot..."

Holding the boy's gaze, he set the pail beside the tub, his eyes dropping again as his lips curled into a lustful smile.

"You lech!"

Duo grabbed the bar of soap and flung it at Heero, furious when the man ducked so the projectile missed him by a good foot. Then the chair was tossed to the side, and Heero pushed the bar away. He jerked the door open and disappeared through it.

Duo glared after him, his chest heaving with his angry breaths as he picked up a jar of lotion, just in case. And it came in handy, as the door was pushed open again.

"Thanks for the view," Heero said quickly, jerking his head back out and laughing as glass broke against the door.

Duo cursed for a good minute before he grabbed the towel he'd set a foot or so from the tub and wrapped it around himself quickly. He crossed the room and shoved the bar back down, unwilling to let the man have a chance for another shot at him. It wasn't until his eyes fell on the chair that he realized Heero had shoved it aside on his way _out_ of the room.

His back straightened, and he slowly turned, his eyes blazing as they fell on the tapestry. "That bastard!"

_- - -  
TBC_


	12. Part 12

Author's Notes: This is a fusion with the book: So Worthy My Love by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. While there will be no text reproduced here, the story line will follow the book's almost exactly, any changes made not too drastic.

Category: Yaoi, AU, Gundam Wing, fusion with a book  
Pairings: 1x2, vague hints at 3x4, 5p2  
Warnings: shonen ai, minor limish, hints of minor angst  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
Website: www . geocities . com / arigatomina

**Bonds of Love**

_Part 12_

"I would be honored if you would accompany me then," Wufei said, his dark eyes taking in the boy before him.

"You want me to meet your mother?" asked Duo.

He tried not to let his uncertainty show, but the invitation was pushing things a bit too fast. "I'm not sure that would be...appropriate."

"Not at all," said Wufei. "Heero and I often visit her. And I am certain she would enjoy meeting you."

Duo gave a slight smile, glancing to where Heero sat at the head of the table. The man was staring at him. He looked away quickly and tried to hide how much that perplexing expression bothered him.

As Heero had predicted, Wufei had indeed shown up despite the storm, and the man had stayed for a few days until the weather had cleared some. Now, he was preparing for his departure, and Duo realized once Wufei was gone, he'd be stuck with Heero for company. With Wufei there, he'd been able to ignore Heero for the most part, to pretend he didn't feel that intense gaze following him around.

Wufei was speaking again, and Duo concentrated on him, being extremely attentive as he tried to turn his mind from the other man. But it was so hard, especially since every time he glanced at Heero, those cobalt eyes were on him.

Sometimes Heero seemed puzzled, or thoughtful, even questioning when he glanced at the man, but he was always watching him. Duo simply couldn't ignore him. Although he acted as if he didn't notice, it was with low spirits that he saw Wufei to the door.

"I should be back in about a week," Wufei said softly, raising Duo's hand to his lips. He smirked at the fact that this still managed to embarrass the boy, even though he'd made it a habit. "I look forward to our trip. Heero."

Nodding to his friend, he took his leave.

Duo stared at the closed door for nearly a minute, his back straight against the gaze that continued to bore into him. The silence that filled the large room was grating on his ears.

His eyes lit up when the door moved and Trowa and Quatre entered. He rarely saw the two of them anymore, and he was grateful that they'd chosen that moment to come in.

"Trowa," Duo said brightly, smiling at the tall man and ignoring the surprise on his face. "I'm so glad to see you. I have a favor to ask."

Aware of Heero's presence a foot or so behind him, Duo's eyes narrowed a bit. Neither of them had spoken of the incident on the day of Wufei's arrival, but he remembered it now.

"I hope it isn't any trouble," said Duo, "but I need a lock for that door behind my tapestry."

Trowa looked over his shoulder, an eyebrow raised, and Duo followed his gaze, staring at Heero. It was infuriating, but the Trowa didn't agree until Heero gave a sharp nod.

- - -

The room was so quiet.

Heero's eyes traveled to the empty chair at his right, having returned to sit at the table. It took a minute or so before he recognized the feeling. He stood slowly.

He'd grown accustomed to the boy's presence, and he admitted to being a bit lonely without him there. True, Duo hadn't spoken to him in days, too caught up in their visitor, but the boy's voice had been enough. The fact that he could watch him had also kept him occupied. But now, his absence seemed wrong. Heero crossed the room to the stairs as he made up his mind to seek the boy out.

Once he reached Duo's room, Heero leaned in the open doorway. His eyes glinted as he watched Duo, who was seated in the chair in front of the dresser. That long fall of hair was pulled over one shoulder as he combed it and Heero admired it, taking in the coppery tints from the fire.

Trowa turned, noticing him, and he nodded to the man. He was grateful when both he and Quatre took their leave. The lock was in place, he saw, and the fire had been stirred well.

Nothing would have pleased Duo more than to throw the man out. Instead, he bit his tongue, his hand rough as he combed his hair quickly. He reminded himself that it was Heero's home and not his.

He didn't so much as glance up when Heero entered the room, the door left open behind him. While he was careful not to make eye contact, he saw Heero cross the room, and he nearly sneered when the man sat down in the soft chair Trowa had placed before the fire. Obviously, he planned to continue the staring until he talked to him. But Duo had no intention of doing that. He stubbornly kept his silence and ignored him.

Duo hadn't forgiven him. It was evident, but Heero wasn't bothered too much. To him, it had been lenient of him to spare the boy the entire pail of icy water. His mind didn't quite take in the fact that he might owe the boy for having invaded his privacy. Yes, Duo had been in his bath, but Heero had been sleeping.

The angry silence was actually easy to take. Heero closed his eyes, images of the boy seated across from him flying through his mind. While he didn't particularly want the Duo angry with him, he was content, especially since he was in Duo's room and he'd yet to be yelled at.

It was infuriating, and Duo simply couldn't believe the man had actually fallen asleep in his room. Being dismissed was bad enough, but the thought that Heero took him so lightly he felt comfortable sleeping there was maddening. There was also the problem that with him in the room, he couldn't exactly go to sleep himself. Instead, he was stuck waiting for Heero to wake up.

He crossed the room angrily, snatching the fire poker and he shoved the logs around in hopes that the noise would rouse the intruder. Heero didn't so much as twitch. Out of pure spite, Duo used the poker to sweep Heero's away from where he'd stretched them close to the fire. That proved to wake him quickly.

Heero was on his feet immediately, and his hand moved to his waist, clenching when he found that he didn't have his sword. Then he took in his location, and his eyes narrowed at the violet ones sparking at him.

"Did you need something?" Heero asked, his voice emotionless. It was pure luck that he hadn't worn his sword, and he was cold at the thought of what might have happened if he had worn it. "You should take more care. It is obvious you need discipline in your life."

"A firm hand...is that what you're saying?" Duo's voice dropped, and his eyes narrowed for a moment before his face smoothed suddenly.

He stepped forward and laid a light hand on Heero's chest, blinking his lashes as he looked down. "You sound angry with me, Heero. I need discipline? Is that what you want? To hit me?" He schooled his features, wariness shining in his violet eyes when he looked up.

The husky voice sent tingles down Heero's spine, but he flinched at the boy's question, shaking his head. "Duo...I...wouldn't. I'd never hurt you."

A surprisingly strong fist buried itself in his stomach and Heero blinked in shock, stumbling back a step.

"No?!" Duo cried, all pretenses dropped as he let his fury blaze forth. "You think I'm not hurt? I'm not some unfeeling thing you can play with, Heero."

All of the humiliation he'd suffered rose to clench in his chest, and he gritted his teeth. "I've been kidnapped, thrown in a trunk - a _trunk_ Heero! You drag me out to this God-forsaken place and keep me here for no reason. Do you have any idea what will happen when I go back to England? You've ruined my name. My _father's_ name!"

He gasped suddenly, biting back the burn that tried to close his throat.

"I...should be looking for him," Duo said slowly, his voice dropping as his anger left him. "Not trapped here."

Heero was staring at him, eyes wide, and Duo's shoulders slumped.

"Would you please leave, now? I," Duo sighed, rubbing a hand over his eyes as he turned his back on the man. "I just want to sleep. I'm so sick of these games."

He could hear light steps, and he glanced back when silence came. The doorway was empty. His own steps drug when he went to it, shutting the door with another sigh.

- - -

It was strange, but by the time Heero returned to the castle, Duo actually felt worse about his explosion the night before than he had about any of his pranks. He'd had plenty of time to think about it, as sleep had eluded him despite his exhaustion, and he'd decided that while his anger was justified, it wasn't aimed at the right person. Yes, Heero had been behind his kidnapping, and when people heard who had taken him, he would be considered ruined, but the man hadn't done it on purpose.

He had a right to be angry; he just couldn't point fingers. It had been a mistake. The only thing Heero had done was keep him in the castle after learning who he was and while this still made him mad, he was beginning to believe the man. From what Wufei had told him, the ocean really did have large quantities of ice that made voyages extremely deadly.

Duo nearly ran down the stairs when he heard the sound of horses, and he couldn't help the smile that graced his lips. Heero had been gone when he'd woken, and Duo was coming to terms with the fact that he felt lonely without him there.

While he was worried that Heero might be angry, the fear couldn't keep his steps from being rapid. Then he opened the door, and he halted abruptly, suddenly understanding why he'd heard multiple horses.

Heero was there, his tall black horse standing near the stable, but there was also a cart drawn by two other horses. Duo blinked at the three men and the woman who slowly climbed down.

"You won't have to worry about that," Heero was saying to Trowa, "the two of you deserve some free time. The carpenters should be able to finish all of the repairs, and since I own this castle now, it may as well be fixed up."

"But a new stable, isn't that a bit much?" Quatre shook his head, frowning at the thought of how much it would cost. "Heero, do you have the funds for this?"

"Don't worry," said Heero.

He dismounted, nodding as Trowa immediately took the horse. His eyes were on the boy who stood in the doorway, but he stopped suddenly, turning a bit as he looked back. "And Trowa? The first thing they're going to do is fix the room on the third floor. I don't like you two staying out here."

"Thank you," Trowa smirked.

If truth be told, he hadn't minded that much since they had more privacy in the room adjourning the stable. But it was a kind gesture.

"Duo," Heero greeted soberly.

"What is this?" Duo asked when Heero reached him. He was confused by the easy expression on the man's face.

"Carpenters," Heero said, taking in those wide eyes.

He was relieved to see that Duo didn't seem to be holding any of his anger from before. He nodded as the woman climbed out of the cart and walked toward them. "Duo, this is Darla, she's going to be doing the cleaning now."

The woman nodded, her brown eyes moving between them. "Sirs."

Duo blinked in surprise and he barely noticed the strong arm that prodded him into the castle. Heero stepped a few feet from the woman, and Duo leaned towards him quickly, his expression worried.

"Heero, how did you afford this?" he asked quietly.

"Wufei gave me an advance," Heero replied. "He seems to have faith that I will be reinstated in the Queen's good graces, despite my current status as a traitor. Don't worry, Duo, I have faith myself."

"Pardon me, Lord," Darla said swiftly, her demeanor respectful as she remained a polite step away. "I would like to start my duties immediately."

Heero nodded, and she turned to Duo, her eyes sweeping over him quickly. "When will you and Mister Yuy require your dinner?"

"Duo Maxwell," Heero said sharply. The back he had his hand touching had stiffened at the mistake, and he nodded to the woman. "And we generally eat at four. You may room near the kitchen, you'll see the Chef in there and he can explain things to you."

"Yes Lord," said Darla.

Her eyes moved to Duo again, and she smirked suddenly. She'd thought she knew what he was, and the boy's wide eyes told her she'd guessed correctly. He was the man's mistress, despite his male gender. Her smirk widened as she eyed him with contempt. "I'll go now."

Duo turned sharply, and Heero blinked in surprise. The boy was half-way up the stairs before he caught up to him. Duo stopped when he touched his shoulder, but he had to turn him forcibly. "Duo?"

He could see the hurt visible in those expressive eyes, and he frowned in confusion. "What's wrong?"

"You don't know?" Duo asked, his voice dropping as he glared at the man.

His anger evaporated when he saw that Heero's confusion was honest. "Don't you know what she thinks of me, Heero? She thinks I'm your whore...and I don't blame her."

His fingers curved around the edge of his shirt, despondent. "Look at me. I can't stand these rags. There's no way I can go on that trip with you and Wufei. I do have pride, Heero..."

Duo was worried about what Wufei thought of him, Heero was certain of it, and his eyes narrowed. The boy's hurt bothered him, but not as much as it would have if it had been only about the woman's behavior. "You bought clothing, that much shouldn't be a problem. And I'll speak to Darla."

"No," Duo said quickly, flushing as he shook his head. "That'll just make it worse. Don't worry about it, Heero."

"Well," said Heero, "this should cheer you up. Your clothing has been finished."

Duo's face lit up, and Heero gave a slight smile. "It should be here in an hour."

"Oh. Thank you!" Duo grinned, turning suddenly and he had almost run up the stairs before he remembered his manners. "I'm going to get my room ready. This is great."

- - -

He wasn't thinking clearly, that much was obvious. For some reason, he seemed to think Heero's having hired so much help was an attempt to make him feel better, and Duo couldn't help but feel warm towards the man. The fact that they hadn't spoken a single harsh word made it difficult to remember why he wasn't supposed to like the man. And he found himself involving in a dangerous habit, for reasons he didn't really understand.

For the second night in a row, he found himself standing in front of the tapestry. His fingers trailed down a dark blue swirl, feeling the thick cloth. He hesitated for a moment, then his hand moved the tapestry aside, undoing the lock with habitual ease.

He walked down the dark corridor, no candle needed since he didn't want to announce his presence, and he had the turns memorized already. It wasn't long before he was opening the door on the other side, and once again he gave a silent thanks that Heero didn't lock his side.

The man's room looked considerably better than it had so few weeks before. Duo gave a slow smile as he ran his hand over the silk curtains surrounding Heero's bed. It never ceased to amaze him, how luxurious the man's room and bed were.

His eyes moved over the sleeping man. Heero's dark hair looked soft on the pillow and his fingers tingled with a need to touch it, his eyes moving over those dark eyelashes. He was so pretty. Duo couldn't seem to help the pull, the need to take him in. The first night, he'd come out of curiosity, but now, now he knew he came because he couldn't resist the opportunity to study the man who confused him so often. It was with a long, silent, sigh that he turned away.

A strong hand caught his wrist and Duo jumped with a gasp.

"What...no ice water this time?" Heero murmured, his lashes parting a bit so his dark eyes glinted up at the boy.

Duo was staring at him, and he suddenly jerked on the wrist he held, pulling him down so his arms could move around the boy's waist. "Sneaking into my room at night..."

"Heero...I..."

Flushing furiously, Duo moved fitfully against the man, his body very aware of the one under him. Heero's arms tightened until their faces were inches apart and his breath caught in his throat. Then soft lips touched his and he closed his eyes.

Heero's smoothed his hands over Duo's back and buried one in that thick hair, pulling the boy until he lay on him. Duo's soft mouth opened to him and he didn't bother to think. His tongue swept inside, teasing Duo's until he responded to the slow, exploratory kiss.

Without a noticeable pause, Heero moved his lips to the side, kissing Duo's cheek and trailing down to his neck. The boy sighed, tilting his head and giving him more access to the silken skin. Duo ducked his head, so warm breaths fell on his hear, and Heero made a little sound against the boy's neck. He shifted a hand down, undoing the first buttons to Duo's shirt. A warm tongue flicked out to brush his ear, and Heero groaned, nipping the boy's collar.

Heero's mouth was agonizingly close to his nipple, and Duo gasped with expectation. He hid his face closer to the man's dark hair, using his teeth to tug lightly on Heero's earlobe and relishing in the answering growl.

A crackling shift from the fireplace broke the quiet passion that had settled over the bed. Duo's eyes snapped open.

His shirt was half undone, and he was lying on top of Heero. He didn't want to stop, didn't want to care what would happen if he stayed. But his body was tensing as rational thought returned.

Duo pulled away and Heero's eyes opened to stare up at him. For a moment neither of them moved, Duo standing next to his bed. Then Heero saw the stark horror in those violet eyes. Duo turned and bolted for the pathway, and Heero swung his legs over the edge of his bed to rush after him.

"Duo...!"

He ran, stumbling over the stairs in the dark. His heart was racing in his chest, his breath ragged. He hit the door to his room and shoved through.

Duo sagged against door, his eyes burning hot with condemnation as he cursed himself with every word he could think of. There was no excuse he could think of to pass off his behavior. He knew better than to try and blame his own actions on Heero. He'd been the one to come into the man's room, and he hadn't argued with what they'd almost done.

His hands shook as he buttoned his shirt, and he gasped when a light sound brushed the door behind him.

"Duo, let me in." Heero's voice was soft, and he ran his hand over the door, not wanting to push it open. He wanted the boy to open it for him. "Duo?"

"Go away," Duo said roughly, his own shame surging through him. "I'm sorry."

"You can't do that," Heero cursed, his body still aching from the fleeting moment. "I need you, Duo."

The blunt words made his body react, and Duo flushed, leaning his forehead against the door. "Heero...I can't."

"What would you have me do?" Heero asked, his voice low as he slowly backed away. "Find someone else?"

Even as the words left his mouth, he knew it would be impossible. He was just so frustrated. His hands curled into fists as he turned away.

"No," Duo whispered, closing his eyes. "I just can't do that. I can't shame myself like this."

There wasn't an answer, and he ducked his head, turning away to return to his solitary bed.

_- - -  
TBC_


	13. Part 13

Author's Notes: This is a fusion with the book: So Worthy My Love by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. While there will be no text reproduced here, the story line will follow the book's almost exactly, any changes made not too drastic.

Category: Yaoi, AU, Gundam Wing, fusion with a book  
Pairings: 5p2, 1p2, assumed 3x4, will be 1x2  
Warnings: shonen ai, minor limish, hints of minor angst  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
Complete Archive: www . geocities . com / arigatomina

**Bonds of Love**

_Part 13_

"And this...Duo, I knew that color would be beautiful on you."

The boy blushed with obvious pleasure and Heero watched from across the room, taking in how bright he was. Duo had ducked his head, but he could see the boy's grin when he finally glanced up at Wufei.

The two of them were completely absorbed in Duo's outfit, but Heero didn't mind. It gave him the opportunity to look as well. And what Wufei had said was true. Duo kept more and more lovely.

"I usually wear black," Duo said, meeting the man's eyes.

His smile widened a bit as he was careful to focus on Wufei. The captain had come back just that morning, and Duo doubted if he'd ever been so happy to see someone. Since it was impossible to avoid Heero completely, he'd been glad to have someone else to talk to. But even talking to Wufei didn't help that much. He could feel those eyes on him at that very moment.

"Yes," Wufei nodded, his dark eyes sparkling. "And the color definitely suits you, but this..."

He ran a hand over the silk shirt Duo wore, barely feeling the boy's arm beneath before pulling back. "It matches your eyes."

Duo laughed, and Wufei turned, glancing back at the table near the fireplace. His eyes narrowed for a moment when he caught sight of the intense way Heero was watching them. Wufei lifted his chin.

Stepping to the side, he got Heero's attention before glancing at Duo again. "I'm not sure I should leave you here any longer."

Duo blinked, and Wufei gave a wry smile, his eyes flicking toward Heero again. "If you keep getting prettier, you may become too much of a temptation for Heero."

Duo looked before he thought about it, and he was frozen for a moment, dark blue eyes staring into his. Tearing away, he managed to snort softly, a weak smile curving his lips.

"I wouldn't worry about that," he laughed quickly. "Heero's much too busy thinking about his beloved Relena. After all the trouble he went to for her."

Wufei smiled, and Duo lay a hand on the man's offered arm, letting himself be escorted to the table. The black-haired captain pulled a chair out for him, and he sat down, still keeping a smile on his face.

He ventured a glance at Heero as Wufei sat down, and he blinked, uncomfortable that he couldn't read the man's expression. They hadn't spoken for days, but he couldn't believe the man had forgotten the encounter, not when he felt as if he were being devoured by that gaze.

"Nothing to say, Heero?" asked Duo.

Heero didn't so much as blink, his eyes swallowing the boy. It was obvious Duo was trying to taunt him into something, but he wasn't interested. Heero wasn't interested in verbal games, especially since the boy had been ignoring him up until now.

To give Duo credit, Heero didn't know how to deal with what had happened any more than he did. Despite his lust, he knew that it was a good thing they'd stopped. While Duo's father wasn't _really_ a nobleman, Ramsey Maxwell had been a very respected man, with an honorary title of Lord. Heero understood that Duo wouldn't willingly disgrace himself when it would reflect on his father as well.

Unfortunately, that didn't leave much of an alternative for Heero. He didn't think Duo was up to hearing a proposal just yet, not from him. The fact that Wufei was planning his trip in two day's time didn't help matters either.

"You're in an odd mood," Duo said softly, a cool chill moving over his back.

He turned his head a bit and saw that Wufei was watching him with one eyebrow raised. He smiled at the man. Leaning forward, he took a tray of delicacies from the table and offered them to Wufei man with an impish grin. "Care for a sweetmeat, Wufei? I simply adore your chef."

"To no one else would I have sent him," Wufei said solemnly, selecting one. "But I can't have you go hungry," his eyes narrowed, and a smile curved his lips, "You're much too thin."

"Enough of these and I'll be as big as the cook," Duo quipped.

Wufei laughed softly, and Duo smiled, pleased that he'd managed to lighten the mood a bit. Then he held his expression, turning to Heero to offer him the tray. Heero was still staring at him, and Duo felt like groaning, well aware that the long looks weren't lost on Wufei. Then Heero dropped his eyes to the offered sweets and he sighed in relief.

"Actually," Heero said slowly, his eyes flicking up to Duo's as he took one, "I've been craving something sweet...for a long time now."

Holding the boy's gaze, he took a small bite, violet eyes widening as Duo stared at his mouth. He heard Wufei clear his throat as he finished it off. Heero glanced at his friend, raising an eyebrow.

"Well," Wufei murmured, not quite glaring at Heero as he pushed back in his chair. "I brought something."

Duo turned in his seat, and he enjoyed the curiosity in the boy's eyes. Reaching into a pocket on the inside of his vest, he pulled out a small bundle. He unwrapped the white handkerchief slowly. Instead of showing what he held, he stood and crossed the room to the doorway. Duo followed him curiously, and Wufei sent a smile over his shoulder.

"It's mistletoe," he said softly, tying the stem so it hung over them. "The druids believed that kissing under a mistletoe inevitably led to marriage."

Wary, Duo looked from the small, seemingly harmless white berries to the dark-eyed man. "They did?"

"Yes," Wufei nodded, stepping forward. "Tell me, Duo. Would you hold to the custom if I were to kiss you?"

Violet eyes widened, but Wufei didn't wait for an answer. He curved an arm around Duo's waist and drew him close. He vaguely heard the sound of a chair being pushed back sharply behind them. Then he brushed Duo's soft lips in a firm but chaste kiss.

Lifting his head, Wufei took in the Duo's wide eyes with a pleased expression. "Are we engaged now?"

"I...no!" Duo pulled away, letting out a quick breath and shaking his head as he tried to smile at the man. "Of course not..."

Suddenly he felt horrible for having played up to Wufei, and he felt as if his back were on fire. He could feel a dark glare scorching his skin without even looking to where Heero was. "Wufei, don't be ridiculous."

Wufei brushed the knuckles of one hand over Duo's cheek, giving him a patient smile. "Well, then. I suppose I'll have to settle for that...for now. Sleep well, Duo."

His breath was still quick, but Duo turned, following Wufei's progress as he climbed the stairs to the room he was staying in. The burn in his cheeks told him he was still blushing, but he quickly forgot his embarrassment, and his guilt. His shoulders were caught from behind and he was turned roughly.

"Heero..."

The man was glaring at him, and Duo nearly flinched from the tight hold on his shoulders. For good reason, he was suddenly very nervous.

Heero didn't speak for a minute, his rage still blazing through him. He'd nearly killed Wufei, and he wanted nothing more than to take his anger out on the suddenly skittish boy. Instead, he slowly trailed his eyes up, glancing from the small plant back to Duo. Those violet eyes seemed to grow wider than humanly possible, and Duo gulped audibly.

"We must honor tradition," Heero mocked, "right?"

He didn't give Duo a chance to respond as he jerked him forward. His mouth bore down on Duo's, kissing him with bruising force in a twisted parody of what Wufei had done.

Duo seemed dazed, and he gasped a quick breath. Heero's eyes latched onto his open mouth and he dove for it. His tongue thrust inside and he wrapped his arms around the boy's slender waist.

Duo seemed to forget his decision quickly, kissing him back and encouraging him. Heero's arm curved upward, his hand closing around the boy's thick braid as he rubbed his other palm against the small of Duo's back, fingers tracing his waistband. The boy pulled away for a quick breath, giving him a clear view of passion-fogged eyes. Then Duo pressed forward again, fingers digging into Heero's shirt.

A loud humph broke them from their embrace. Duo jumped away, and Heero's fists clenched as he whirled to glare at the woman who stood behind them. He was about to curse at her when Duo stepped forward. Heero blinked at the dark tint in those eyes, contrasting with the boy's furious blush.

"I am _very_ displeased with your manners," Duo said coldly, his own embarrassment surpassed by pure fury.

He knew the woman had no reason to respect him, especially since she'd just caught him playing the whore once more. But it was inexcusable for a servant to show such disrespect of her lord. He could tell that Heero was included in her derogatory gaze. "You will show proper respect, do you understand?"

Darla nearly sneered at the presumptuous boy, but her sense of self-preservation kept her calm. Looking past the boy, she took in the furious glare Heero was sending her and bowed her head quickly. "Forgive me, Lord Yuy, for...interrupting. I'll just clear the table now."

Duo turned to follow the woman with his eyes and see to it that she did just that. Then he looked at Heero again. He could read the hunger in the man's dark blue eyes. "Heero..."

He sighed, shaking his head slowly, a small pained smile marring his face. Not speaking, he walked past Heero and didn't stop till he reached his room. There wasn't anything he could think of to say to him. Once again his baser instincts had gotten the better of him.

'_This can't keep happening. Not only is it unfair to Wufei, but Heero...I can't keep leading him on like this. I won't be his lover, I won't!'_

- - -

..-..-..-..

Duo sighed, tilting his head as warm lips move over his neck, hot kisses sending sparks of fire through his skin. Warm hands caressed his chest, fingers massaging his sides, and he opened his mouth, kissing the man. Wrapping his arms around the man's strong back, he leaned into the embrace, warmth rising inside him as he was held close. Then the hands left his back and his wrists were taken suddenly in a grip tight enough to bruise. His eyes flew open.

A face, hidden in shadows, moved towards him and he shook his head furiously, struggling to pull away.

Something solid hit his back, and the man pressed forward, a hard body digging into him. Duo gasped, turning his head aside. He tried to cry out, but he couldn't move or make a sound.

His hands were released and he hit the man with both fists, his heart pounding painfully in his chest when the blows didn't faze him at all. Then his face was gripped, turned towards that dark face. He stared in horror as only glinting eyes were visible in the shadow. He closed his eyes and managed to make a mournful sound as his mouth was forced open, the man kissing him.

He gasped when his face was released, but he didn't dare look, not wanting to see those glowing eyes.

"Duo..."

His eyes snapped open, and he lunged forward with a sharp cry. Heero was suddenly there, with warm dark blue eyes. He wrapped his arms around the man's neck, burrowing against him as he was lifted. Then he was being lowered onto softness, Heero pulling him close. Strong arms held him tight and he looked up at that familiar face, staring for a long moment before pressing his face to the man's neck.

"...love you...Heero..."

..-..-..-..

Violet eyes snapped open to a dark, empty room, the dull flickers from the fire sending pale red shadows over the ceiling.

"I don't believe this," Duo whispered, brushing dampness off his cheek as he blinked slowly. "I can't be in love with him..."

_- - -  
TBC_


	14. Part 14

Author's Notes: This is a fusion with the book: So Worthy My Love by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. While there will be no text reproduced here, the story line will follow the book's almost exactly, any changes made not too drastic.

Category: Yaoi, AU, Gundam Wing, fusion with a book  
Pairings: 1p2, assumed 3x4, 5p2, will be 1x2  
Warnings: shonen ai, hints of minor angst  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
Complete Archive: www . geocities . com / arigatomina

**Bonds of Love**

_Part 14_

It was during the journey to Wufei's home that Duo realized he still had no idea where they were. He hadn't really thought about it. Knowing they were in a cold climate had been all the information he'd needed. But now he realized he didn't even know what country they were in. They'd crossed the ocean, but he wasn't sure which direction they'd gone in, and at the time he hadn't thought to ask. He'd been sure he wouldn't get an answer even if he did ask.

Now, the lack of information gave him an excuse for conversation, and he employed it in order to dispel the tension in the carriage. From what Wufei had told him when they'd left the castle, the journey would take days. The thought was not an encouraging one.

"Where does your mother live?" Duo asked.

He leaned against the corner of the seat as he turned to look at the black-haired man beside him. Heero was seated across from them, but Duo didn't think he was up for conversation. The man had been cold since they'd left, and he didn't want to do anything that might rile him.

"In Drammen," said Wufei.

_Norway?_ Blinking in surprise, Duo glanced at Heero for a moment before focusing on Wufei again.

Wufei was describing the town, but he didn't pay that much attention to him. He was wondering why Heero had taken shelter in this country. It was so close to England. But then, he had to admit that anyone searching for him would have difficulty on the snow-covered terrain.

The carriage was rocked by wind as they traveled, and the sound drowned out the soft movement before and behind them. Wufei hadn't taken any chances with their safety, and while Duo wasn't sure where he'd gotten the men who accompanied them, they were obviously in his service. The man had gone all out, and Duo knew the guards and the luxurious carriage were for his sake. He seriously doubted Heero and Wufei had taken guards with them on their previous trips. No, it had to be for him and that was one more reason for his already low spirits to plummet.

He didn't think he was using Wufei, at least, he didn't like to think that. In the beginning, he had genuinely enjoyed the man's attention. It was flattering, to think that someone as refined as Wufei would take interest in him. And he was so honorable in his intentions. Duo was certain Wufei was a match his father would have been proud of.

But he wouldn't marry him. He knew that without a doubt. He just couldn't think how to tell the man. Wufei was sweet, but he was still a man filled with pride and he couldn't imagine him taking rejection easily. He didn't want to lose the man's friendship, but he didn't want to use him either. By toying with him, leading him on with his silence, he was hurting not just Wufei, but Heero and himself as well.

Time passed slowly, but it did pass. While Duo didn't lift the furs to look out the window, Wufei had done so occasionally to call to his men, so he knew they were making progress. On the most part, it was a matter of conserving heat and Duo wondered how the men on horseback were fairing. With Wufei pampering him, they had very warm wraps and blankets, but he doubted if the ones truly exposed had such comfort.

By thinking of them, he helped to divert himself, but he was still relieved when they halted for the evening. Heero hadn't said more than two words so far, and Duo was glad to put some distance between them.

In keeping with his chivalry, Wufei led Duo to a tent of his own, before they went to the main one. This was a larger tent, with one wall open to the fire to allow for more heat as well as seating room. Upon inquiry, Duo learned that Wufei's men were supplementing their supplies, a few leaving to hunt. Their meal for that night, however, was a stew the cook had prepared for them.

The cook was also accompanying them on the journey, but this was one convenience Duo didn't think was for him alone. He'd noticed that Wufei had particular tastes, and Heero had told him more than once that the man enjoyed fine cuisine. Heero had, of course, been speaking of something other than food, but it was true either way.

They ate as if they were still in the castle, and the cook produced a bottle of wine for them. Duo avoided this, not willing to imbibe and risk his tongue revealing himself, but he couldn't help but notice that both Wufei and Heero made up for his lack of thirst. It took a while before he was certain, but the two men seemed to be competing, almost as if Wufei were aware of Heero's interest in him.

Duo hoped that wasn't the case. Wufei hadn't said any such thing to him, so Duo was careful not to be the one to reveal it if he hadn't noticed. After all, he was as much to blame as Heero. Actually, he was more to blame since he had yet to tell Wufei how he felt about him. Heero obviously already knew how Duo felt about _him_.

The drinking binge seemed to end without a climax, and they sat in silence for a few moments before Wufei excused himself. Left with Heero, Duo kept his eyes glued to the fire, not wanting to incite conversation. But he'd never been one to sit still very long, and he finally looked away, gazing in the direction Wufei had gone.

"You should tell him," Heero said suddenly. "Tell him you don't love him."

Duo's eyes snapped to the man, and he paled before dropping his eyes just as quickly. There was nothing he could say to counter that. He knew he needed to tell Wufei. He just didn't want to.

"Unless I'm mistaken," Heero said softly, glaring at the boy's lowered eyes. "Maybe you've just been using me as a release, but I didn't imagine your reaction when we touched. You're young, Duo, but you know what you want, don't you."

Duo looked away, and Heero had to clench his fists to keep from grabbing and shaking him. "If you really want Wufei, all you have to do is say so. But don't use him like this. If marriage is what it takes then say so."

Duo swallowed sharply, glancing up so he could search Heero's face. Those dark blue eyes were so intense he nearly flinched back, longing to put more space between them. It was hard to think, but he straightened his back with effort, glaring at Heero.

"You're forgetting Relena," said Duo. "I won't be a replacement for _anyone_, especially her."

"You know nothing about how I feel for her," said Heero. "Her name is an excuse for you. You use it to deny what you're feeling."

The boy blinked, and Heero nodded sharply. "I know more about you than you think. I know how concerned you are about your name, your father's honor. What do you think the people back in England are saying right now? You have to know that your name will be stripped of virtue whether you've lost yours or not. We stayed in the castle, you said yourself that the people will talk of that whether their accusations are true or not. I'm offering you protection from slander. And that without taking advantage of Wufei's kindness to you. We understand each other, don't we."

He was serious, and as far as Duo could tell he'd obviously thought things through. Heero was proposing to him, as unromantic as it was. Duo grabbed his boots suddenly, pulling them on with rough jerks.

"I have to think about this," he murmured, not looking at the man as he stood.

Duo had stepped toward the side of the open tent and Heero caught his arm quickly, glaring when the boy didn't meet his eyes.

"What is there to think about?" he hissed, holding Duo's arms as he leaned close to him. "I know you feel the same way I do. Admit it."

"Heero, don't. I just need to think," Duo whispered, pulling at his arms.

Heero jerked him closer till they were pressed together, and Duo glared, pushing against him. "Damnit, Heero, let go."

"Not until you admit it. You want me to make love to you. Every time we touch you are _just_ as amorous as I am." Duo was shaking his head and Heero's glare darkened, his hand tightening on the boy's back.

"Don't talk like that," Duo said quietly, his anger draining away.

Heero hadn't said anything that wasn't true, but he had no right to force him into anything. A simple admission would be enough for Heero, but it wasn't enough for Duo. This wasn't just a conquest. This was his life they were talking about.

"Do you have any _idea_ what you do to me?" Heero demanded, giving the slender boy a rough shake. "All I want to do is throw you down right here in the snow, anyone who sees be damned."

Duo flinched as if he'd hit him, and Heero glared for a moment before dropping his own eyes.

"I'm sorry," he said after a long silence. "You don't torment me on purpose, I know that. Duo? I'm sorry, I had no right to say that to you."

He released his hold, watching Duo's downcast eyes before taking the boy's hand. "I'll escort you, and you can have your privacy to...think."

The two moved past the campfire, not noticing that they were being watched closely by one of the guards. The man followed them with his eyes until the pair disappeared into the dark woods. Then he turned to find Wufei.

It was clear to him that the Captain's associate was making a play on Duo, in direct violation of the claim the man had made. Wufei had been very blunt as to his intentions, and he wasn't about to let him be cuckolded.

Duo's boots sank in the deep snow, and he held back a shiver since they weren't made for the weather. But he hadn't planned on hiking, and he had no intention of complaining. The fact that Heero held his hand firmly made him less inclined to speak. He was consumed with frustration as well as a little hopelessness.

Heero's words had struck painfully, so crude yet he couldn't fault him for his honesty or his bluntness. He didn't really need to think to know that Heero's offer of marriage had a bad taint to it. The man wanted him for purely carnal reasons, and in return he would have Heero's name and the questionable protection of it. Despite that, he knew that he wouldn't hold out for long if Heero continued to ask him. His weakness was humiliating.

Finding a suitable clearing, Heero relinquished his hold, watching as Duo stood for a moment without looking at him. Then the boy took a step away and Heero moved forward suddenly, pulling him into a tight embrace. Duo was still at first, but he slowly relaxed. Heero could feel the tension draining out of him.

Heero's eyes stayed on the Duo's lowered head, and he sighed when violet eyes finally looked up at him. "Duo..."

A sharp call startled them, and Duo jumped back with flushed cheeks, recognizing Wufei's voice. He didn't have to speak to know that Heero was furious. The man dropped his arms with a dull glare. Duo didn't want to make Heero angry with him, but he couldn't just let Wufei find them like that. He had to tell him personally. He couldn't let him find out by catching them together. It was too horrible.

Duo's eyes grew moist when Heero wouldn't meet his gaze. He turned quickly, trudging off into the trees. He felt dirtier for hiding than he would have for holding still, but he couldn't help but do it.

Heero's eyes flicked up when Wufei moved into the clearing, and he took in the man's anger with a blank expression. As far as he was concerned, Wufei had every right to be furious, but he didn't care at the moment. The man opened his mouth, no doubt to curse at him, and Heero waved a hand at Duo's footprints, looking away.

"He should be back shortly," he said, his voice cold.

"I will wait for him," Wufei said, his voice just as dark. "Thank you for seeing to his welfare, but there is no need for you to wait."

"Fine."

He watched Heero leave, and Wufei's eyes narrowed till they were dark slits. It wasn't as if he were surprised, not really. After all, he'd been aware of the fact that Heero's eyes had been lingering longer on the lovely boy. But the man had gone too far, taking him off into the night.

He had respect for Heero as a person, but as a man he knew his friend took first and thought later. There was no way he trusted him alone with Duo, especially since Heero had made no claim on the boy. His was a commitment, given outright, but his rival hadn't said a single word. Even if Duo decided not to marry him, Wufei would _not_ allow the boy to be dishonored by anyone, certainly not by Heero.

The air was cold and tart, and Wufei didn't have long to wait before Duo came into the clearing. Those bright violet eyes were wary enough for Wufei to know without a doubt that he had come just in time. Duo looked guilty.

Wufei kept his own expression clear as he moved to him with a proprietary demeanor. "Duo."

The smile he was given was so forced he wanted to glare. But Wufei didn't blame him. Duo wasn't aware of Heero's prowess. He didn't have a defense.

"Your boots are soaked," Wufei said suddenly, frowning down at the boy's feet.

"What?"

Blinking, Duo gave a soft sigh, relieved that the man hadn't railed at him for his indiscretion. If Wufei had any idea what was going on between Heero and him he gave no evidence.

"I didn't realize they were so susceptible to water," said Duo. "But it's all right. I'll just change them as soon as I get to my tent."

"I could carry you back," Wufei offered, watching the boy's face.

"No!" The man raised an eyebrow at him, and Duo flushed, shaking his head. "I mean, it really isn't necessary. After all, they're already wet."

Wufei wasn't sure, but the boy's embarrassment seemed more than a result of shyness. While he preferred to see Heero as the stalker, he was not blind. He searched the boy's face.

Duo had never once admitted to feelings similar to his own, and Wufei hadn't fooled himself into believing that he felt the same as he did. But he hadn't yet turned down his advances. Duo looked decidedly uncomfortable now, and he wondered if his guilt was for more than being caught alone with Heero. He wasn't a fool, but Wufei did not jump to conclusions either.

If Duo was playing a game with him, he would have sensed it. At best, the boy had seemed confused lately, and he thought that to be a sign of indecision. It was a case he was making, he was playing the suitor, and he had no intention of stopping until he received a blatant answer.

"I can't have you catching a cold," Wufei commented, watching as Duo shifted. "Unless my touch bothers you?"

"I..."

Duo's mouth went dry and he dropped his eyes, holding his arms close to him. This was his chance to tell him. All he had to do was answer honestly, but all he wanted to do was run away. Those dark eyes were so direct. He couldn't stand the thought of hurting him. He'd never imagined Wufei as being vulnerable, but he looked so open, as if completely unaware that he was moments away from rejection.

"Wufei..."

Wufei heard him before the man came into sight, and his hands curled into fists as he turned to glare at Heero. Whether Duo had been about to accept his offer or not, obviously he wouldn't have the chance. His _friend_ wasn't giving him a chance.

The horse slowed a bit as it broke into the clearing. Wufei folded his arms over his chest, stepping back since he knew what the man intended. Heero slowed enough to reach a hand down to Duo, swinging the boy up in front of him. Dark hooded eyes met Wufei's gaze for a brief moment and Wufei raised an eyebrow, wondering if Heero were going to be blunt.

"I thought I would take him back," Heero said sharply, aware of Wufei's questioning glare. "He's not dressed for the cold."

Wufei turned away from him, and he wheeled his horse back, kneeing it into a canter without another word. Duo was seated half across his lap and he wrapped an arm around the boy's waist, not slowing until a reasonable distance was between them and Wufei.

"I'm sorry again," Heero said bitterly. "I admit, I was jealous. I don't want him touching you."

Duo's head was bowed, so he couldn't see his expression, but he knew he might have just made an enemy of a long-time friend. "Duo, if you love him, if you really do, tell me before it's too late. I can't keep this charade up any longer."

_- - -  
TBC_


	15. Part 15

Author's Notes: This is a fusion with the book: So Worthy My Love by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. While there will be no text reproduced here, the story line will follow the book's almost exactly, any changes made not too drastic.

Category: Yaoi, AU, Gundam Wing, fusion with a book  
Pairings: 1p2, assumed 3x4, 5p2, Mp5, will be 1x2  
Warnings: shonen ai  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email: arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
Complete Archive: www . geocities . com / arigatomina

**Bonds of Love**

_Part 15_

The winding streets took forever to navigate. They went in on horseback, Duo riding next to Wufei with Heero on the other side of him.

Wufei had grown increasingly animated as they seemed to near their location and Duo wasn't sure what to make of it. The man was usually calm, though he did have a hidden tendency to tease. But those black eyes were bright as Wufei talked about the town. He called it the Queen of the Hansa and Duo was certain he should know what that meant. He didn't, though, and he reminded himself to ask Heero about it later.

They stopped in front of a large house and Duo's eyes were caught as someone glanced out a window. Then the door opened and Wufei dismounted quickly, someone in a flurry of petticoats jumping into his arms.

Duo looked shocked and Heero smirked a bit at the way Wufei was hugging the girl. Wufei obviously didn't realize how suggestive the greeting was. Heero dismounted and turned to Duo, not answering that curious gaze.

"Wufei!" the girl cried. "You do take your precious time between visits. I thought you might have forgotten your family."

Dark brown eyes narrowed and the girl pulled away, frowning up at Wufei.

"You know I would do nothing of the sort," Wufei said easily, his eyes glinting at how pretty she was.

Every time he came home, he found that she'd grown even more. She was practically a woman.

His mother cleared her throat and he let out a small laugh, stepping forward to give her a quick hug. The woman raised an eyebrow at him and he turned to where Heero and Duo were standing.

"Come inside, both of you. Mother, this young man is Duo Maxwell, a close friend of mine." His words didn't imply anything, but the woman's raised eyebrow told him she hadn't misunderstood.

"Yes, inside," the older woman said, her eyes crinkling a bit as she shot her son a knowing look. "It's much too cold to have long reunions on the doorstep."

"My manners have not improved, then?" Wufei murmured, holding her gaze for a moment before turning toward Duo.

He'd planned to escort the boy in, but soft silk brushed the back of his hand and he remembered his manners. Meiran was watching him and he flashed her a quick smile before offering her his arm.

Once inside, the first thing Duo noticed was how nicely furnished the house was. Obviously, Wufei's wealth had spread to his family, if it hadn't originated there.

A young man was leaning against the wall and he flashed a quick smile at Duo before his gaze latched onto Wufei. Blinking, Duo followed it, again wondering who the girl was. He wasn't jealous. In fact, he felt a rush of hope that Wufei had a perspective bride waiting at home for him. It would make his guilt much less if it were true.

The girl laughed at something Wufei had said, then she stepped to where Heero and Duo were.

"We usually aren't so rude," she said quickly, smiling at Duo.

Heero snorted and she flashed him an irritated look before ducking her head with embarrassment. "You are not kind, Lord Yuy. I cannot fathom why Wufei spends so much time with you instead of us."

The girl shot a quick look at him from beneath her black bangs and Heero smirked, taking in Duo's frown. "Don't mind her, Duo, she plays."

"He has never been nice," the girl told Duo, nodding when the boy's lips twitched. "But I'm used to it, now. I'm Meiran Hamilton and that," she waved at the man who was still leaning against the wall, "is my incredibly impolite brother, Justin."

"I'm not impolite," the young man said suddenly, his expression careless, though he did flash another smile at Duo before looking at his sister. "I'm simply watching you act your age."

"You..."

"Don't start," Wufei said, stepping into the room after his mother.

He'd explained his hopes to her, and the woman had accepted better than he'd thought. He knew she kept hopes that he might some day marry Meiran, but the girl was much too young for him, no matter how old she was.

The girl turned to give him a happy look and he laid a hand on her shoulder, smiling at Duo. "My cousin is a bit overly enthusiastic at times."

"Then you're cousins?" Duo asked, trying to hide his disappointment.

The girl had been frowning at Wufei, but her face cleared as she turned to look at him.

"Our mothers were distant cousins," Meiran said, corrected Wufei. "After our father died, Wufei's mother was wonderful enough to take us in."

"Something I might regret," the woman said wryly, "seeing how you treat your guests."

Duo let out a surprised laugh when Wufei flinched and flushed.

Turning, Wufei bowed his head. "Forgive me, Duo. This is my mother, Therese."

"I raise them to be polite," Therese said slowly, taking a subtle measure of the longhaired boy. Duo smiled at her and she sighed. "But my son is a continual disappointment, so wild."

"Mother, really," Wufei frowned. "I am the best behaved man I know."

Duo laughed at him and Wufei's eyes sparked at the sound. He loved his family, but he was even gladder he'd visited now. With so many people around, he wouldn't have to worry about other things.

His eyes slid to Heero and he frowned a bit to see those dark blue eyes on Duo. There were matters he had to take care of while in Drammen, but he knew he could leave Duo with his family. Heero wasn't the type of man who would dishonor him in his own home, no matter what the temptation. Heero glanced at him and they stared at each other for a long moment before Heero gave a small smile.

"His words are true, Madam," Heero said slowly, holding Wufei's gaze. "He is a perfect gentleman."

"Oh?"

The two men were watching each other and Therese frowned, looking between them. She'd met Heero a few times, and he and Wufei seemed to have a strong friendship. Looking at them now, however, made her wonder. Her eyes flicked to the young boy who was listening to something Meiran said. She prided herself on being quick to judge and her eyes turned back to Wufei, taking in his dark gaze.

"Wufei," she said, "show your friends upstairs. The trip must have been long."

Her son glanced at her, blinking in evident surprise, but she turned away. "Your stay will be for days, right? There is plenty of time to visit at dinner."

"Of course," said Wufei.

Heero was smirking at him and Wufei smiled suddenly, clapping a hand on his friend's shoulder. There wasn't anything to say. Their conversation had been silent but complete. It was a competition, a rivalry, but it didn't mean they had to be enemies. "She knows best."

"Your mother is a very perceptive woman," Heero said softly, watching Wufei.

Wufei nodded and Heero followed him over to Duo, who'd been taken to Justin. The two young men were listening to Meiran relate a childhood story that Heero had heard more than once.

"But he didn't think it was my fault," Meiran was saying, her eyes wide. "And of course, it wasn't my fault. He was the one who sat down on it. It was so sad, he couldn't walk straight for days-"

Heero snorted when Wufei promptly clapped a hand over the girl's mouth, the man's cheeks dark red.

"She loves that story," Heero smirked, "doesn't she."

"Wufei," Duo laughed, staring at the man in surprise. "Don't be like that, it's a great story."

"I'm sure no one wants to know about _that_, right Meiran?" The girl glared at him but she nodded slowly and Wufei stepped back.

"One quick question," Duo said, grinning at the embarrassed man. "How many needles were _in_ the pincushion?"

The girl opened her mouth to answer, but Wufei's hand covered it again and Duo laughed, shaking his head. "That's okay, I guess I can use my imagination."

"Well, if you're finished humiliating me," Wufei muttered, glaring at Meiran as he slowly let her go again, "I'll show you two to your rooms."

- - -

Despite his confidence in Heero's sense of honor, Wufei was glad to escort his friend to the wing opposite Duo's room. It was the same wing the man usually used, so there wasn't anything odd about putting him there. But he was still relieved to have distance between the two of them.

Heero had a thoughtful expression as he stopped before the door and Wufei leaned against the wall, watching him carefully.

"You have plans?" asked Wufei.

"This trip comes conveniently," Heero nodded, his dark blue eyes sliding to Wufei.

He was aware that his friend didn't like to discuss his ties with the Hansa, but they were the ones Heero suspected most. The murder he'd been accused of had to have been done by someone with a plot against the queen. The ones with the most power, within a reasonable distance, were the Hansa. "I have plans to seek out Zechs Merquise while I'm in Drammen."

As he'd expected, Wufei's eyes narrowed abruptly.

"I wouldn't recommend that," Wufei frowned, his back moving from the wall. "He does not like to be sought out."

They were friends, it was true, but he was not about to risk his life by speaking to the leader of the Hansa on Heero's behalf. The man in question was more powerful than any lord, and he had ways of making those who got in his way disappear. Wufei had done some smuggling in the past, so he did have connections within the group, but he was not at all close to the leader.

"I don't plan to seek him out," Heero said casually, glancing to the door. "I'll merely be asking a few questions and letting them know I'm here. I expect an invitation before the week is out."

"You're leaving, then?"

Heero gave a sharp nod and Wufei turned away, glaring at the floor. He knew what Heero planned, and he was certain the man's expectations would be fulfilled. Heero's name was one he'd heard before, whispered within the Hansa. He imagined Zechs would be interested in knowing the man was in Drammen.

Wufei had been careful not to reveal his friendship with the man, keeping silent when the name was mentioned. But if Heero planned to go asking questions, then there would be no hiding it. Heero could cause him trouble by doing that, and it was disheartening to know that Heero didn't seem worried.

Wufei's hands curled into fists and he stepped away, only slowing a bit when his friend called to him.

"I won't let anyone know where I'm staying," Heero said softly, his expression hard. "No one will know that we are acquainted, you have my word on that."

"Good," Wufei commented, glancing back to throw the man a frown, "just don't get yourself killed."

His friend raised an eyebrow at him and his anger eased a bit, enough for him to smirk. "Not until you repay the advance I gave you."

- - -

Wufei's family was as strictly polite as the man himself, but Meiran's good nature undid any discomfort Duo might have felt. Both of his escorts left the large house before he rose, leaving him alone to face the strangers seated around the breakfast table. He'd been a little angry until Wufei's mother explained that Wufei usually came when he had work to do within the city. She didn't know where Heero had gone, but after a bit of thought, Duo decided Heero wouldn't have left merely to avoid him.

Whatever the two had to do, Duo spent the day visiting with Justin and Meiran and learning more about Wufei's younger days than he thought appropriate. It was one thing to hear a few humorous episodes, but the black-haired girl seemed determined to tell every single embarrassing incident she'd ever witnessed.

Justin's smirking glances made him wonder if she were _trying_ to make Wufei look bad. But after a few hours of non-stop stories, Duo was convinced she related them as much for her own pleasure as to entertain her guest.

Although the two led most of the conversation, Duo was forced to tell a little about himself. He'd kept it short, telling how he'd been stranded on the coast because of the winter seas and thereby met Wufei. The tale wasn't quite a lie, but Duo was glad when Justin prodded Meiran into changing the subject.

The girl only needed a breath before she launched into more stories. It seemed she and Wufei had spent a lot of time together before the man became a true captain of his own ship. Duo was glad to let her ramble. Just looking at her sparkling eyes made him feel better about himself. Even if Wufei didn't return the girl's interest, he _did_ have someone as enamored with him as he claimed to be enamored with Duo.

Dinner came and went without either man returning, and Duo bid his hosts goodnight with less frustration than he'd bid them good morning. But then, he wasn't actually planning to sleep. He returned to his room only long enough to grab a light wrap, then went back to the cozy den. And he found that he wasn't the only one not quite ready to sleep.

Justin was reclining on the large sofa, and Duo hesitated in the doorway, forcing a quick smile when the young man glanced up at him.

"Couldn't sleep?" Justin drawled, his eyes glinting as he moved back on the couch and waved a hand at the other end. Duo shook his head and he smiled when the boy sat quietly.

"So tell me, Duo, now that my sister is out of the room, which one are you waiting up for?"

Eyes widening, Duo was stricken for a second, his mind flying to think of what he might have said to give himself away. "Excuse me?"

"You just didn't seem too caught on Wufei last night," Justin explained, relaxing and lighting a cigarette. "Every time he's around, Meiran hangs all over him. Now _that_ is obvious. But you...you didn't even look the slightest bit jealous when you saw her."

Violet eyes were watching him and he shrugged, his lips curving a bit. "So I figure it's one of three things. You're not upset because Wufei _explained_ about his obsessed cousin, you're confident that she's not competition, or you just don't care."

Justin smiled at him and Duo frowned back, his shoulders tensing.

"I really don't think it's your business," he said sharply, his brows narrowing when Justin laughed softly at him. "That's between Wufei and I."

"I thought you might say something like that," Justin admitted.

Duo was really scowling at him, knuckles whitened on the dark cloth wrapped over his shoulders. Waving a hand at him, Justin sighed.

"I won't pry," he said. "It's just that Meiran has been waiting for him for so many years... I can't believe Wufei is still blind to it. We all expected him to propose to her eventually, but he never has. So when he showed up with you my first thought was that he'd finally found someone even more obsessed than my sister. I couldn't believe how...detached you were."

Duo blinked, his eyes falling as he shook his head. He wasn't going to tell anything to Justin that he didn't have the courage to say to Wufei first, but he had to admit the young man had a point. He _hadn't_ shown much interest in his suitor. And if Justin knew Wufei's intentions, then the man's mother probably did to. Duo couldn't imagine what _she_ thought of him.

"Well, Meiran has known him longer than I have," Duo said slowly, his expression clear when he looked at Justin.

"That's certainly true," Justin nodded. "And that's the problem. She just doesn't understand that he sees her as a sister, more than a distant cousin. But enough about that, Wufei would kill me if he knew I was talking about this."

Duo frowned at him and he smirked. "He'd think I was trying to scare you away," Justin explained, "or nab you for myself."

A slender eyebrow rose at that and Justin's eyes glinted suddenly. Stretching his arms above his head, he caught Duo's gaze and shifted on the couch. He managed to let one arm fall behind the boy's shoulders without cracking into a grin.

"I'm quite the rouge, you know."

Only a few seconds passed before Duo gave in to a quick laugh, leaning away from Justin's arm with a smirk. "Oh, really. I'd never have guessed."

"Justin."

The voice was low, with just a hint of warning, but it was enough to make the young man in question jump up with a big grin.

"Wufei!" Justin greeted cheerfully. "I'm so glad you made it back safely."

"I'm sure you are," Wufei said slowly, his eyes glinting with a touch of humor for his cousin's sheepish expression. "Keeping Duo company, I see?"

"He's been very courteous," Duo nodded solemnly, not missing the way Wufei's lips twitched. "He was just warning me about his reputation."

"Complete with an example," Wufei snorted, his eyes narrowing in a mock glare.

Justin scratched the back of his head and looked away innocently.

Wufei sniffed at him. His cousin really wasn't as young as he thought of him as, but there was no real reason to be wary of leaving Duo with him. The young man tried to act like a suave character, but he rarely succeeded.

"Isn't it past your bedtime?" asked Wufei.

"What?!"

Justin snapped his mouth shut when a muffled snicker reached him from the couch and he glowered at Wufei's smirk. "You know, _cousin_, one of these days I'm going to be higher on the food chain than you are. Just you wait."

"Until then," Wufei drawled, "you'd better get plenty of sleep."

With a wave of his arm and a dark smile, Wufei watched his cousin leave the room. Sometimes, Justin was as young as Meiran, but not nearly so cute.

Duo was still watching him, and he smiled at the boy, shaking his head. "He really is harmless, most of the time."

"He's nice," Duo admitted.

He had been wanting to see Wufei and Heero when they got in, but he didn't feel up to having a private conversation with Wufei. It was true that he had something to tell the man, but he was no more eager to do it now than he'd been last night.

Wufei nodded to him before taking Justin's spot beside him, and Duo curled up in the other corner, making a show of snuggling into his wrap.

"He kept me company while you two were gone," said Duo.

"Then Heero isn't back yet?" The boy blinked at him, and Wufei leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "I see."

"I thought you two had gone together," Duo said, not quite prodding. "You were both gone when I woke up."

"I had business to attend to," Wufei said, his eyes shifting away.

This was something he didn't want to share, but he knew Duo would have to be told eventually. If he actually planned to have a future with the boy, Duo would have to know about his darker relations. And even if they were bound to be no more than friends, he had an idea Duo would need to know about the Hansa, especially if Heero met up with them. Heero must have left after him, and if he hadn't returned yet, then he'd probably managed to succeed with his 'plans.'

Duo was watching him, and Wufei sighed.

"Have you heard of the Hansa?" he asked quietly.

A sharp frown told him the answer. It was the one he'd expected.

"They're an underground organization," said Wufei, "based here in Drammen. I've had dealings with them in the past, most captains in this area have. No one gets a ship without going through their network."

"Is it...smuggling?" Duo's eyes glinted when Wufei looked surprised. "I don't know about the 'Hansa,' but I've heard plenty about smuggling. Pirates take things from ships that leave England. And others move things across borders despite the laws."

A slow nod followed his words and Duo raised an eyebrow at Wufei's closed expression. "Are you a pirate, then?"

"Sometimes. But not as much lately." The boy didn't seem upset by his revelation, encouraging him to explain. "One of the reasons I was able to get a ship from the Hansa is because I agreed to join their group. I hold no standing within the Hansa, but I have done a few small tasks for them occasionally."

"And that's where you went today?" asked Duo. "To see them?"

For some reason, Duo's easy acceptance bothered him, and Wufei nodded slowly. "I went because of Heero."

This got a reaction that bothered him even more. Frowning at the boy's concerned expression, Wufei shook his head. "He wanted to contact someone while he's here. And from what I heard today, the news is out."

"Is it about the murder?" asked Duo.

Wufei seemed so surprised at his question that Duo was absolutely certain he was right. "Does he think someone in the Hansa is responsible for the murder of the Queen's man?"

"Did he tell you?" Wufei asked, his dark eyes wide.

He didn't know whether he should be surprised or angry, but he was definitely a tad relieved when Duo shook his head. If Heero had left before Duo woke, then the man hadn't told the boy anything that morning. Meaning any conversation they might have had would have taken place last night.

It was reassuring to know there hadn't been any late-night encounters between the two. While he was sure Heero wouldn't try anything in his mother's home, Wufei didn't intend to give the man a chance to even think of trying something. He liked to be on the safe side.

Duo was waiting with curiosity and visible worry. Wufei gave a slow nod. "The Hansa is the most likely choice."

"So if he finds the ones who did it," Duo said quickly, "he can tell the Queen."

"He'd have to do more than _find_ the guilty party," Wufei muttered, "but that's his plan. Unfortunately, they aren't likely to just tell him. And if they _do_ tell him who did it, then you can bet it's because they want Heero to join them on another, _successful_ attempt."

"He could just pretend to join them," said Duo. "Couldn't he?"

"I'm sure that's what he'll do," Wufei admitted.

It had been a long night, and Wufei stood slowly, frowning when Duo didn't shift at all. He didn't want to leave the boy alone on the couch to be found when Heero wandered in. But he simply had no excuse to get the boy to retire without revealing his suspicions.

"Do you plan to wait up for him?" asked Wufei.

Wide eyes snapped up, and Wufei's own gaze darkened for a second before he shrugged. "I certainly can see why you would. It would be much better for you if Heero cleared his name before your return."

"Yes..."

A cool chill was tickling his back, and Duo stared at Wufei, trying to determine what he saw in the man's dark eyes. There was something different about his demeanor. He hadn't spoken to him like he normally did. He'd actually sounded as if he were addressing a comrade, more than a marriage prospect. And it was the first time the man had ever come into a room and not kissed his hand.

That should have been a wonderful thing, perhaps a signal that Wufei wouldn't be hurt when he turned down the man's proposal, but for some reason it made his stomach sink. Obviously, he'd grown accustomed to the treatment, and Duo had to bite his tongue to remind himself not to be so greedy.

"I would like to hear how his progress is going," he admitted, meeting Wufei's gaze with a clear expression.

"You might hear more than that," Wufei commented, turning and crossing the room.

He paused in the doorway, still unable to smile at the boy as he was used to doing. After hearing that Zechs was aware of Heero's presence in Drammen, he couldn't bring his mood any higher. "If you're awake when he gets in, ask him about your father."

A gasp broke the air and he nodded when Duo stood suddenly.

"I don't want you to get your hopes up," he warned, his eyes softening a bit when the boy nodded quickly, "but his name was mentioned. All I know is that the man Heero spoke to had news of your father. I'm sure Heero asked when he met him."

"Do you think so?" Duo asked, his eyes very bright.

He had an incredible urge to hug Wufei, and he curled his hands to resist that need. Now was _not_ the time to act so irrationally. He still hadn't told him.

"It's been so long since he disappeared..."

"As I said," Wufei murmured, his expression falling into a sad smile, "don't get your hopes too high. All I heard was that the man had mentioned Maxwell, not that he knew his location."

He knew his warning fell on deaf ears despite Duo's quick nod. Wufei shook his head.

"I must leave you for the evening," he said, his voice softening despite his heavy limbs. "I'll make certain to see you in the morning, this time."

"I'd like that," said Duo. "Not that your family isn't wonderful, of course."

Duo smiled when Wufei let out a very quiet laugh, and he followed the man, pausing in the doorway. He was prepared to watch him climb the stairs, and he nearly dropped his wrap when the black-haired man turned suddenly. His hand was taken in a strong grip and he blinked in surprise at the combination of sadness and relief that shot through him when Wufei smiled at him.

"I apologize for not being more suave," Wufei said softly, brushing his lips over the boy's hand.

Duo's gut wrenched at his complacency, and he shoved his muscles into action when the man released his hand. He had to tell him. Now. There was no excuse not to.

"Wufei-"

"I'll see you in the morning," said Wufei.

Duo stared at him, but Wufei didn't wait, turning and ascending the stairs.

- - -

Whether Heero had a key for the front door or not, the man managed to enter it without making a sound. In fact, he was so quiet that he almost slipped past the doorway without Duo spotting him. Only the slight shadow caught the corner of his eye and he was on his feet in an instant. His sudden movement in turn gained Heero's attention, the man pausing with his foot lifted over the bottom step.

Wide violet eyes sparkled in the dim light and Heero would have followed the boy even if Duo hadn't beckoned to him. The den was mostly dark, save for the fire at the far end, but it was more than bright enough for Heero to know Duo had waited up for a reason.

Duo didn't give him a chance to sit or anything before clutching one of his hands and turning a look on him that made him burn.

"Heero, I thought you'd never come back," Duo said quickly.

He'd waited for hours, fighting off sleep, and he squeezed the man's hand eagerly. "Wufei said you-"

A long sigh made him break off his words, and Duo blinked in confusion when Heero scowled at him.

"What?"

"Don't greet me like that if you're going to talk about him," Heero muttered, his rapid pulse dropping along with the corners of his mouth.

"What do you mean?" Duo frowned, letting go of the man's hand. "I've been waiting forever for you to get back. I was starting to think you weren't _coming_ back."

The lovely boy simply didn't get it. Heero admitted defeat with a long sigh. "What did Wufei say?"

With a quick blink, Duo gathered his excitement again. "He said you might know something about my father. He told me about the Hansa and how you were trying to find the ones responsible for the murder, and he said the guy you talked to mentioned my father's name, so I-"

"Calm down," Heero drawled, his lips curving upward again as he looked at the boy's sparkling violet eyes.

Duo spoke so quickly, he wouldn't have caught it all if he hadn't been watching the animated face with some high degree of appreciation.

"Yes," said Heero, "I'm looking for the ones who killed the queen's man, and yes, the man I talked to mentioned your father."

Duo's mouth flew open and Heero placed his hand over it, fingertips brushing soft lips. "But...I don't know if the man he saw was your father or not. He saw someone a few weeks ago who _looked_ like your father, but his description may not be accurate. He was drunk at the time."

Duo's face fell and he huffed against Heero's hand. "Oh."

"Right," Heero nodded, his eyes glinting when Duo didn't pull away.

That was enough encouragement for him to turn his hand, fingers brushing at the long chestnut bangs that fell over Duo's forehead.

"I didn't go there looking for him," he admitted, holding those violet eyes, "but you know, Duo, I'll do what I can to help you find your father. It's the least I can do."

The thought of actually finding his father was foremost in his mind, but Duo found that excitement slipping slowly away, replaced by an awareness that tingled along his spine. Heero's palm rubbed his cheek and he sighed, unconsciously turning his face into the caress. Dark blue eyes glimmered at him until he dropped his gaze, another sigh passing his lips.

"I never thought I'd find him," Duo admitted quietly. "Certainly not here. To think...I would come so far, so far from home to find the ones I love..."

The hand stroking his cheek moved into his hair and Duo's eyes snapped open suddenly, heat rushing over his face as he realized what he'd said. His tongue made it between his teeth and he bit down, closing his eyes again in complete embarrassment.

"Duo..."

Glaring violet eyes flicked up to him and Heero stared into them, his lips curving into a sly smile. "Duo, would you like to repeat that?"

The boy's down-turned lips combined with those red cheeks made Heero's smile widen. He took a long step closer. "Duo."

"What?" Duo snapped, his shoulders shaking for a second before he clenched his fists. "What did I say? I love my father, I always have. Stop looking at me like that."

Dark blue eyes bore into him and he clenched his teeth, his face blazing even hotter when he saw the man's smile. "Damn it, Heero..."

"Loved ones," Heero murmured, easing closer still. "Ones."

Duo's face was more adorable than lovely with that embarrassed and angry shade of red, but Heero liked it nonetheless. "You said loved ones, and you sure as hell weren't talking about Wufei."

Duo glared at him for another second then tried to pull away. Tightening his hold on that thick hair, Heero slipped his other arm around the boy's waist, slowly pulling him forward.

"Duo."

"Leave me alone," Duo groaned, closing his eyes tight. "I never said I loved you!"

That harsh whisper made a low chuckle break past his smile, and Heero tilted his head, brushing his face against the boy's thick hair. "Yes you did..."

Heero could feel Duo's palms against his chest, but they weren't pushing, not at all. Closing his eyes, he inhaled the sweet scent of that thick hair. The boy's head tilted back, almost asking for him to shift his mouth, and he did, lips trailing over Duo's soft cheek.

His lashes parted enough for him to see that angry red had faded to passion-tinted pink and he smiled, brushing Duo's lips. "Yes you did."

Heero was killing his pride, absolutely massacring it, but Duo couldn't help himself. Sighing against Heero's mouth, he leaned into the man's embrace.

"Fine," Duo groaned, pushing his chin up when those lips receded. "I did say it. But I didn't mean to."

The petulant tone made him want to laugh, and Heero diverted that rise by kissing the boy, his arms pulling Duo flush against him. Those palms shifted up to his shoulders, fingers threading into and clutching his hair. The delicious boy returned his passion until he fell into the kiss, tasting with fervor.

His free hand moved by itself to tug Duo's shirt free, fingers aching to press smooth skin. And they did, running up and down the boy's back, massaging the skin until their bodies were crushed together.

They were separated by layers of cloth, a thick wrap as well, but he could feel Duo's rapid heartbeats as he trailed his lips down the boy's cheek, his own pulse racing at the soft breaths that brushed his ear. His tongue lapped hungrily at Duo's neck, and he nuzzled the edge of that offending cloth.

Whatever pride Heero had destroyed, he made up for it with the burning life his touch aroused. Duo's lips moved unerringly to the man's ear, touching it before dipping lower. His skin seemed to pulse where Heero's hand rubbed it and he found himself tugging urgently at the man's shirt.

Fingers curling around cool material, Duo opened his eyes slowly, gazing at the dark hair that fell over Heero's tan skin. He was doing it again.

A moist kiss pressed his neck and his eyes closed, his sigh ruffling thick hair before he ducked his face against Heero's shoulder. "It's..."

His lips rubbed Heero's cool coat and he opened his eyes to stare at it, forcing his mouth to obey even if his body wouldn't. "Heero..."

Duo was _not_ going to stop him. Heero wouldn't stop. Duo didn't even want him to stop and he wasn't going to.

Even as the angry clamoring tried to drown out that soft voice, Heero's eyes were opening to view shadowy skin.

This was not the time or the place. He knew that. But he could forget it if he tried, just one glimpse of the silken skin he'd kissed told him he could ignore everything but Duo. Unfortunately, Duo was the one speaking.

"It's wrong," Duo whispered, his eyes closing painfully as he tried to loosen his fingers. They were clenched around Heero's shirt as if they'd never let go and he groaned, forcing his hands to flatten and push against the man.

"Heero, we can't do this here. Even if I love you...it's wrong...not here, not like this."

A long sigh met his ears and he turned guilty eyes to Heero. He knew he deserved any reproach the man might give him. Once again, he was to blame just as much as Heero, if not more. "I'm sorry, Heero-"

Dark blue eyes flashed at him and Duo blinked, not pulling away when Heero kissed him again. This touch lasted mere seconds and he almost dove forward without thinking. It took most of his self-control to hold still.

"I could never shame Wufei by doing this," Duo said quickly, "not in his _mother's_ house, not when we're not married. I'm sorry, but I-"

"I know," Heero muttered, his smirk belying the angry ache that was responsible for his bitter tone. "I know. All evidence to the contrary, I wouldn't shame him either. Besides..."

His hands tried to hesitated when he removed them from Duo's hair and clothing, and he managed a tight smile for the boy's wide eyes. "I know myself too well. There's no way I could keep touching you like this without taking you."

A dark flush spread over Duo's cheeks and Heero sighed, pushing the boy firmly away from him. "Tomorrow."

The man turned away from him so quickly that Duo almost couldn't break his paralysis. Then he stepped forward and caught Heero's sleeve, his confused gaze flying over the dark eyes that glanced back at him.

"Tomorrow...?" asked Duo.

"Tomorrow," Heero nodded, his eyes glinting for a second before he turned again. "Go to sleep, Duo. We'll deal with this tomorrow."

Mouth open, Duo stared as the man left the den. Nearly a minute passed before he realized he had gotten exactly what he'd wanted. At least, he'd gotten what his mind and common sense wanted. His body was another matter.

With a long sigh of his own, he jerked the wrap closer around him and trudged up the lone stairs.

Tomorrow.

It had to be the oddest, most callous, and indecipherable thing the man could have said to him. And he just knew he'd be up all night wondering exactly what Heero had in mind for 'tomorrow.'

_- - -  
TBC_


	16. Part 16

Author's Notes: This is a fusion with the book: So Worthy My Love by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. While there will be no text reproduced here, the story line will follow the book's almost exactly, any changes made not too drastic.

Category: Yaoi, AU, Gundam Wing, fusion with a book  
Pairings: 12, assumed 3x4/34, 52, M5, will be 1x2  
Warnings: shonen ai  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email:arigatomina (a) hotmail . com  
Complete Archive: www . geocities . com / arigatomina

**Bonds of Love**

_Part 16_

There was an extra face at the breakfast table the next morning, but it wasn't the one Duo had hoped to see. Despite Wufei's courteous attention, Duo was almost too distracted to appreciate it.

His mind was consumed with bitter irritation, wondering how Heero had planned to do _anything_ 'tomorrow' when he'd left early again. But he didn't let himself get too far along that train of thought. Wufei, at least, had kept his promise to see him before _he_ left.

After a few moments of silent fuming, Duo found himself enjoying the company. Of course, it was easy to enjoy the breakfast when he got to watch his would-be suitor receive very obvious stares from the girl sitting across from him. That visible proof of affection just eased his guilt even more than Justin's little revelation the night before had.

Wufei captain didn't stay long enough to lower his spirits. He had to get back to work. This bit of news was delivered with a meaningful look to Duo. He didn't seem to want his mother or relatives to know what he was doing. It served to remind Duo that Heero had more important things to take care of then that odd message he'd delivered last night.

An hour after Wufei's departure found Duo back in the position he'd held the day before, and he'd just resigned himself to a long, if rather interesting, bout of embarrass-Wufei stories when Heero came back.

It wasn't easy to hide his bright eyes, especially from Justin's interested stare, but Duo tried to. Luckily, Heero turned down the dark-haired young man's offer to go with them for a day on the town. Duo just kept quiet until they were out the door, nearly grinding through his tongue to keep himself from asking what they were going to do now that 'tomorrow' had finally arrived.

Heero's dark eyes glittered so much he gave in the moment the door to the carriage closed behind them.

"Well," Duo said, his voice rising with just a hint of his earlier irritation mixed with excitement, "it's tomorrow."

"I noticed," Heero returned with a slight smirk.

He made a show of shifting on the seat across from the boy, pressing his back into the side closest to the door. Duo frowned, but Heero raised an eyebrow before the longhaired boy could speak again.

"Come here," he said softly, that smirk still curving his lips.

That tone immediately turned him wary, and Duo scowled, looking over the offered seat next to Heero with not a little bit of distaste.

"Tell me what we're doing and I _might_ think about it," Duo offered, folding his arms over his chest. "Otherwise, you can sit by yourself."

Heero's eyes sparked at the stubborn tone, and he sighed, shaking his head. "If you're so adverse to being near me, it might cause us some problems when we go before the Priest. He may get the impression you're being coerced."

Violet eyes blinked at him, widening suddenly, and Heero let out a muffled laugh when the boy promptly darted over to the seat next to him. That lovely face turned on him with a bright glow.

"You're serious," Duo whispered, staring at the man's amused expression, "you really are serious, right? I mean, I know you're...that is...that _quickly_? How did you manage to get permission to-"

"Actually," Heero cut in, his demeanor clouding a bit, "this isn't proper according to England's rules. A lord cannot marry without his queen's permission, but here that isn't a problem. And once we return to England, I'm convinced I can smooth this over with the Queen. As for your question, I am serious, and it's easy to get a marriage license in this town. I simply mentioned the Hansa."

"Wufei-"

Duo closed his mouth when Heero frowned at him, but his eyes expressed his misgivings well enough for the man to read clearly.

"Don't think of him today," Heero said, his tone strict. "We'll tell him after the marriage is finalized. I don't want anything interfering with my meeting with the Hansa, and as much as I respect Wufei's honor when it comes to friends, I wouldn't put anything past a man scorned."

Duo hadn't really thought of that, but he still shook his head.

"This is going too far, though," he said softly, frowning down at his arms. "It's one thing not to tell him, but to run off and get married behind his back seems so...dirty."

The thought had not failed to pass through Heero's mind, and it did bother him to think of how very upset and angry Wufei was going to be when they told him the truth. But his meeting with the Hansa was integral to his own future, especially now that he was going to actually marry the boy.

He'd never be able to return to England without proof that he hadn't plotted an assassination of the queen, and Duo's already tarnished reputation would be doubly so if it was learned that the boy had married a renowned traitor. And that didn't even touch onto the possibility of finding Duo's father. All those things hinged on his being able to get into the Hansa, and one word from Wufei would be enough to eliminate his chances.

Besides that, he didn't want Duo to be thinking of another man tonight. That reason held precedence above all the others.

"Duo, I understand how you feel," he said slowly, catching the boy's eyes, "but believe me, this is the best way."

Heero had pulled him close, and Duo frowned at the man's neck, doing his best to hold onto his disagreement. Unfortunately, he seemed to have developed a weakness for Heero's hands when they petted his hair like that.

Shaking his head, he finally gave in and leaned against Heero, his lips easing out of their frown.

"I think you're going to regret this, as much as I am," Duo muttered.

"I never thought you'd be so pessimistic," Heero murmured, his fingers digging into the thick beginnings of that long chestnut braid. He didn't want to muss it, but he couldn't resist. "This is supposed to be a happy day, don't you think so? How often do you get to marry someone you love?"

Duo turned his head, cloudy violet eyes flicking up to him, and Heero brushed aside dark bangs with a small smile. "Don't think of anything unhappy, Duo. You're supposed to cherish this day. I know I will."

That simple statement sent Duo's mind to climbing in odd, giddy little spirals.

Why did Heero want to marry him? He'd already gone through this before. It was the lust, pure and simple. He knew that. He'd resigned himself to that. But his tenacious little mind was clutching that word, cherish. Heero would cherish this day, just like he would.

Dark blue eyes were watching him with a warmth he would never have expected months before, and Duo moved suddenly. His hands shoved on the man's shoulders, and he shifted on the seat until he could press his lips against Heero's, not paying the least bit of mind at how the dark-eyed man blinked in surprise.

The shock must have worn off quickly enough, because strong arms pulled him closer as Heero returned the kiss with just as much eagerness as he'd initiated it.

- - -

Duo had only seen one wedding, but he doubted even the ones in Drammen were usually so abrupt. If he hadn't been floating in an odd state of happiness and impatience, he might have been a bit irritated by how short the 'ceremony' was.

The man said a few words, asked them a question or two, and then handed them a certificate that Heero immediately folded and placed inside his coat. And then it was over. The only thing noteworthy about the entire thing was the kiss, and that merely added to Duo's impatience. It didn't help any that Heero had kept dark and intense eyes on him throughout all of the old Priest's words. Duo wouldn't have been able to pay attention even if he'd cared.

Heero's gaze made him burn so much he wondered how he'd managed to resist as long as he had. But he didn't actually have to wonder. He knew his new husband was going to cherish this day, and that was enough to satisfy him.

Duo wasn't actually certain what would come next, especially since there were no witnesses besides the Priest's hired man. In his experience, modeled after Relena's wedding, and not a thought he wanted to pause over, the ceremony was usually followed by a party, and then the eventual trip upstairs. They didn't even _have_ an upstairs.

This thought pushed at him when he found himself back in the carriage next to Heero, and he finally frowned at the man whose arm was wrapped warmly around him. "Where are we going?"

The tint of irritation and impatience in that soft voice made Heero's lips twitch, and he tugged on the boy's braid, brushing his lips before giving into his smile. "I've secured us a place not too far. It's popular, but the food is delicious, and their rooms are very clean."

Duo blinked at him for a second before a light blush crept over his cheeks. Brushing his fingertips over that warmth, Heero shook his head. "I hope you can keep doing that all night long. It might prove interesting to see how long it takes to get past your shyness."

Duo scowled suddenly, batting his hand away as his face darkened, and Heero smirked.

"Shut up," Duo muttered, ducking his head against his husband's shoulder.

It was odd how easily he thought of Heero as that, husband, but it seemed to come naturally. Thinking of the night to come, on the other hand, was not natural. Despite how close he'd come to jumping into the man's bed, especially the time he'd literally _fallen_ into his bed, Duo couldn't help but be a little shy of his prospects.

Except for their infrequent and interrupted encounters, he didn't know any more about marriage beds than he had when he'd escorted Relena to hers.

That thought made his lips curve into a half smirk, half sneer, and he nuzzled Heero's neck, abruptly wrapping possessive arms around his mate. The love for her might have led Heero to England, but it certainly hadn't lasted very long.

The boy was squeezing him with surprising strength, and Heero blinked in surprise, looking down at the hidden face. "Duo?"

Rubbing his face against the man's neck, Duo huffed against the warm skin, his smirk turning into a hidden grin. "Mine."

His husband let out a small laugh, and Duo echoed it, not lifting his head.

"I return those sentiments," Heero smirked, his arms pulling the boy closer against him.

A soft, muffled 'humph,' answered him, and Heero sighed, tilting his head to look out the window. "And just so you know, Duo, you made a lovely bride."

Face red, Duo jerked back to glare at his husband, his hands clenching in the man's shirt. "You-"

Heero smirked, darting his head forward to cut off the boy's words with a lingering kiss. After a long moment, those eyes eased their glare, just a bit, and he pulled back with a small smile. "I couldn't have found a lovelier mate if I searched England over, that's all I meant."

Sniffing, Duo frowned before relaxing against his husband again, his face moving back into that warm nook on Heero's shoulder. "That _better_ have been all you meant. Or you'll be staying at that hotel alone, count on it."

"I can't have that," Heero agreed, smirking when Duo nodded against him. "It would be a bad beginning for us."

"That's right," Duo murmured, turning his face a bit so his words weren't muffled. "And you don't want me remembering this place with a bad light, not with the trouble we're bound to have once we go back to England."

"Duo-"

"I'm not worrying about it," Duo said quickly, anticipating what his husband was going to say, "I was just thinking. My father was a close subject of the queen's. I'm sure that if I spoke to her on your behalf she wouldn't hold our marriage against us. Even if you get proof to clear your name, I've heard she gets angry when her vassals marry without permission, especially the handsome ones."

The shoulders beneath him tensed a bit, and Duo smiled, rubbing his cheek against Heero's neck. "I'll bet she liked looking at you when you served. That just explains how angry and upset she was to think you were a traitor. I can just imagine how angry she'll be when she finds out I snatched you up."

"You certainly say that without the least bit of concern," Heero commented, "that's good. But don't think about England right now. I don't want you to think about anything but us, for the rest of this night. The future can wait."

"How romantic," Duo smiled, placing a quick pecking kiss on his husband's neck before snuggling comfortably against him.

Heero sighed, and Duo curved his arms around the man's waist again, enjoying the easy contact. Moments passed pleasantly before he felt the hand on his back shift, just a bit, to rub small circles on him. It was just enough to send a tingling down his spine and Duo frowned, pulling back.

"You're messing up my mood," he complained, blinking when Heero smirked at him. "Why would you want to do that?"

"Because," Heero said, tugging on that tantalizing braid. "I don't want you to fall asleep, and it's time to move this little...romance, to a more comfortable location. We're here."

Although Duo hadn't noticed the carriage coming to a stop, a quick look out the window proved the man's words and he straightened quickly, pressing wrinkles out of his clothes. His husband exited first, and Duo smiled when the man offered his arm, leading him into the building they'd halted in front of.

It was odd to have Heero being , but for some reason he rather liked it. It certainly helped that the man's expression wasn't the least bit mocking when he escorted him. He didn't really think of Heero as 'romantic,' so he put it down to the man's usual fondness of touching him. And he admitted, he had the same 'fondness.' He was almost disappointed when they were shown to a table and he lost that contact, sitting down across from his husband.

Appetizers were the first to be served to them, and Heero picked up one of the little bites with a thoughtful expression, catching Duo's eye.

"You know," said Heero, "I still find myself with a preference for sweetmeats."

Violet eyes widened as Duo remembered their past encounter, and Heero's eyes sparked in response. "From what I've noticed, you certainly have a sweet taste. I'd be willing to wager the rest of you tastes even sweeter."

A dark flush was creeping to Duo's face at Heero's bold words, but he managed to answer that challenge with a tiny smirk.

"And what's the wager?" Duo asked, his voice only faltering a little.

"A night in my bed," Heero said, his expression solemn.

Duo smiled and shook his head.

"I'll take that bet," he laughed, the blush easing, just a bit. "Because you'll never know if I _don't_ spend a night in your bed."

Dark blue eyes blinked at him and Duo smirked as he plucked up one of the appetizers and ate it, very slowly.

"Keep that up," Heero muttered, his voice soft, "and we won't make it through the meal."

"I'll keep that in mind," Duo teased, his face clearing as he relaxed in his chair. appetites aside, I'm starved."

"You still think I'm a stag," Heero frowned, "don't you."

"Yes," Duo nodded, not looking away from his food, "but I think I like that about you."

A short silence was followed by a low laugh and Duo smiled, shaking his head.

"I really did have a lot worse things to call you that day," said Duo. "I just couldn't think of them at the time."

"I understand completely," Heero murmured, his voice dropping as he caught Duo's wrist and took the bit of food from him.

Eating it slowly, he enjoyed the way those violet eyes locked on his lips.

"I was distracted myself," said Heero.

Blinking quickly, Duo tore his gaze away to scowl at the remaining food.

"I wasn't kidding about being hungry," Duo warned, pulling the plate closer to him, "so be good."

A quick response nearly made it past Heero's lips, but he bit down on it before it could escape. As passionate as the boy was, he was still far too innocent for Heero to make comments like that. Although, a smirk curved his lips as he though the comment to himself, and he knew Duo wouldn't have to worry about having his 'fill' before the night was over.

It wasn't something to say in reassurance to a young boy like him, but the very thought was enough to make Heero quite impatient for the meal to be over. With that in mind, he hurried the waiter along with a quick, but dark glare.

His eyes immediately softened when he turned them back to his husband, and he watched as the boy rapidly finished off the appetizers. Evidently, Duo hadn't eaten much for breakfast. But it was just as well that he ate plenty now, he'd need to conserve energy.

Heero smiled again.

The food came in what Duo was sure had to be record time, but he didn't attack it nearly as quickly as he'd intended to. His husband had the oddest expression, and that small smile did something to his stomach, creating a little shiver of nervousness he didn't quite like.

That expression on Heero's face just didn't bode well for him, of that Duo was certain.

Heero nodded to the food and began eating his own. Nodding back, a tad warily, Duo noted that those dark blue eyes never left him as he ate. And that small, reappearing smile really did a number on his nerves to the point where he half-bolted his food, all the time wondering if he should have eaten slower and postponed the inevitable trip upstairs.

The tension between him and that stare was enough that he ended up ducking his head a bit, eating with a focus he hadn't held since he was a little child.

He'd just finished his meal when he felt that hot look shift from him, and he blinked in surprise to find Heero's expression one of pained irritation, those dark blue eyes focused on something beyond him.

"Heero, I've been looking all over for you! I have..."

Wide violet eyes turned up to him, and Wufei halted suddenly, a dark cloud falling over his face. He hadn't thought who his 'friend' was with, the lowered head not seeming too worrisome. Now he understood why Heero had looked at him as if he were the last person he'd expected, or _wanted_ to see. And Heero's visible irritation didn't come close to matching the absolute violence raging inside him.

Duo's guilty, shocked expression, Heero's malice, and their location all pointed to one thing. All of his certainties over his 'friend's' trustworthiness fell aside and Wufei blanked his face, dark eyes falling to Heero.

"I see I interrupted you," he said tightly, his hands falling on the back of Duo's chair. "How rude of me."

"Would you care to join us for lunch?" Heero asked, his own voice low with a match for the warning Wufei had given. "They have excellent food here."

"No," Wufei drawled, meeting the sparks sent from those dark blue eyes, "though I'm sure the _cuisine_ is excellent. I have news for you, Heero. It seems your little ploy has worked wonders. Zechs wants to meet with you, and he's sent word all over the Hansa. I thought since we're _friends_ that I should tell you myself. I wouldn't want to risk you missing the appointment. Unless, of course, you have other commitments?"

His eyes darted to Duo's hair for a second before sparking at Heero.

Wide upset violet eyes were staring at him, and Heero glared for a second before pushing back from the table. "I take it the appointment is tonight?"

"Yes," Wufei said sharply, not quite frowning when the man immediately withdrew money for the bill.

Heero had glared at him a second ago, and Wufei had been convinced that he'd just interrupted a rendezvous between the two. He couldn't imagine Heero bringing Duo here just for 'lunch,' but his friend really didn't seem upset now.

Those dark eyes had a hint of something that might have been resignation, but that could easily come from the proposed meeting.

Wufei fought with his certainty and his sudden doubt, but both were discarded when Heero moved around the table and offered a hand to Duo. His glare returned immediately.

"I can take him back," Wufei offered, his tone tight, "I'm sure you'll want to keep your appointment."

"No," Heero said, his eyes glinting at Wufei, "that wouldn't be polite, now would it? I brought him here. The least I can do is see him home. I'll be back to discuss this in a few minutes."

Dark black eyes burned into him, but Heero dropped his gaze, pulling Duo out of his chair. Duo's eyes were on the floor, but he didn't prod him to look up. He took Duo's arm and steered him past Wufei.

The black-haired man remained near the table, and Heero led his husband out of the restaurant area without a word.

By the time Heero managed to call a carriage, Duo's eyes were burning fiercely, and he nearly leapt onto his husband once they were inside.

"Heero," he managed, squeezing the man tight, "couldn't we have told him? He was so angry! He must have thought that we - that you-"

"This meeting will settle all of my dealings with the Hansa," Heero said quietly, holding tight to the upset boy. "Once this is assured, we can tell him. I can't risk his interfering with this out of jealous anger. I hate to interrupt our wedding day like this, you know I do, but there isn't any choice in the matter. I'm sorry, Duo, believe me."

"He just looked so...angry," Duo said, pressing his face into Heero's neck. "I never wanted to make him so angry, hurt. I don't care about myself, it's so wrong - how can I just go back to his mother's home like nothing happened?! He thinks we were going to...and we were..."

"But he doesn't know we're married," Heero reminded him, rubbing Duo's back gently, "and he doesn't blame you. For some reason he doesn't seem capable of blaming you. It's funny, actually. I've been friends with Wufei for so many years, and yet he's so very quick to doubt me. You have no need to be worried that his anger is directed at you, Duo. I'm the one he sees as the bastard here."

"I don't want that either," Duo said, shoving back to stare up at his husband's solemn face. "Look what I've _done_ to you both - years of friendship-"

"He'll calm down as soon as he learns we're married," said Heero, "after he spouts off about it for a week or so."

Violet eyes frowned at him and he smirked, brushing at Duo's bangs. "He'll rant at me for a while, but eventually he _will_ calm down, I promise. I just don't want him angry about anything he can _prove_ until after tonight. And Duo? I _will_ be back tonight. I'll send over the man I spoke to last night, the one who spotted someone resembling your father. You can occupy yourself with that while I deal with the Hansa. And after that, I'll come back and make you my husband in fact, as well as name."

_- - -  
TBC_


	17. Part 17

Author's Notes: This is a fusion with the book: So Worthy My Love by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. While there will be no text reproduced here, the story line will follow the book's almost exactly, any changes made not too drastic.

Category: Yaoi, AU, Gundam Wing, fusion with a book  
Pairings: 12, assumed 3x4/34, 52, M5, will be 1x2  
Warnings: shonen ai, yaoi lemon (full version on my site)  
Author: Arigatomina  
Email:arigatoumina (a) hotmail . com  
Complete Archive: www. geocities . com / arigatomina

**Bonds of Love**

_Part 17_

Justin stood watch over the meeting between Duo and the man he could only refer to as gutter-slime. Duo had asked that he be left alone to speak with the stranger, but one look at the man's filthy clothing and one whiff of the alcohol that reeked off him had Justin standing firm on his decision to keep an eye on the creep. He didn't know what they were talking about, but the meeting was a short one.

As much upset as he'd had that day, Duo was exhausted by the time the man left – escorted out distastefully by Justin. He didn't wait for Wufei's cousin to return. He went straight upstairs to his room to lie down and be miserable.

The man was every bit of the drunk Heero had warned him about, but Duo hadn't been prepared for exactly how vague the sighting was. The man had seen someone in chains being led onto a ship headed for England some months ago. The hair color – dark and overgrown from captivity, had fit Duo's father. The drunk hadn't seen the man's face or eyes well enough to identify him, and the prisoner hadn't been wearing the ring Duo's father always wore.

The only reason the drunk had decided it was Ramsey Maxwell was because the timing fit – the ship had arrived in Drammen a month after Maxwell's disappearance. So seeing a strange prisoner being loaded onto that same ship, made it likely that he was being returned to the place he'd been taken from. Only Duo couldn't imagine why the people who kidnapped his father would want to return him to England. That made no sense.

He didn't know if he wanted the man in the story to be his father or not, but Duo found himself caught on the ring. His father had never taken that ring off. He remembered hearing his father talk about it once – that he couldn't take it off without taking a chunk of his finger along with it. And the man in the story hadn't worn a ring.

Duo knew the lack of a ring wasn't enough to dismiss the idea. Whoever had taken his father could easily have removed it, possibly even cutting his finger off to get it. The thought made Duo's stomach lurch, but he couldn't ignore the possibility. And the man who was brought onto that ship had been thin and gaunt – the ring could have slipped off after he lost weight from being held captive. There were dozens of reasons and ways for a prisoner to lose a piece of jewelry.

He wondered which would be worse, knowing his father was now in England somewhere, held by people who kept him in chains and starved him, or imagining a million other possibilities. In the end, Duo decided England was best. He'd be going back there eventually, so if his father really were being kept there now, he'd have a better chance of finding him upon his return.

Only if his father was the man being loaded onto that ship, then he'd been in Drammen for months. Duo had been a few days' ride away from his father for months without knowing it. He couldn't handle that possibility.

Sleep definitely wasn't going to be pleasant, so Duo got up after a while. He didn't want to have nightmares to go with his miserable thoughts. And even pushing his father out of his mind didn't settle him any. He still had Wufei and Heero and the Hansa to think about, not to mention it was his wedding day!

Someone pounded on his door, loudly enough to make Duo jump and nearly fall over his bed. He started towards it with Heero's name on his lips, but that hope was dashed when the knocker spoke.

"Duo, grab some stuff quick," Justin said through the door.

Duo raised an eyebrow and opened the door to find Justin standing outside his room with a very harried and almost excited expression on his face. "What?"

"I'm supposed to tell you to pack what you can carry and get downstairs right now," Justin blurted, his excitement making him look his age. "Something's wrong. I don't know what it is, but Wufei came by and said to get you ready to move as quickly as possible. Then Heero came back with a revolver – a revolver, mind you. He's downstairs watching the door like he expects a barrel of troops to come bursting in on him. He said to get you downstairs right now!"

Duo remained frozen for a few tense seconds before he could snap himself out of it. One possibility came to him as an explanation for this sudden flight. Heero's meeting had gone wrong.

He hurried to pack as much of his clothing as he could into a single trunk. Justin was hopping in the doorway, impatience and far too much teenage energy making him unable to stand still. He tried to take the trunk when Duo moved toward the door, but Duo held him off.

"He said to grab what I can carry," said Duo. "I can carry this, so move."

Justin blinked in surprise, mostly because the trunk looked like it weighed more than Duo did. But the boy had it balanced on one shoulder, and he did seem to be able to handle it. He stepped back and followed Duo downstairs. Then he hurried past the boy so he could peak over Heero's shoulder.

Heero dropped the curtain of the window he'd been looking out of and shot an exasperated look at Justin. "Don't touch those curtains till Wufei gets back."

"I won't," Justin promised, his eyes gleaming. "I can get in on this, right? I mean, I can help. I'm as good with a rifle as Wufei is – and you'd need someone who's good with distance shots if you're trying to keep from being cornered. Not like him and his sword, you have to be far too close to your enemy to-"

Heero had already turned away, not paying the boy any attention. Whether or not Wufei chose to bring his over-eager cousin was his choice. Right now, Heero was only concerned with getting Duo out of the house as quickly as possible. He stopped next to his husband and raised an eyebrow at the boy's trunk.

"You want to take that on the run?" asked Heero.

Duo gave him a dark glare, shifting the trunk into a more secure position on his shoulder. "I didn't spend my entire savings only to leave the clothes here. I can carry it. You did say to pack what I can carry, didn't you? What? Do I have to actually run with it?"

"No," Heero admitted, a small smile pulling at his worried frown. "The horse will do the running. Come on, you can balance it between us. But if it slows us down, it's getting tossed over the side."

Duo looked like he wanted to argue with that, but Heero didn't give him time to. He grabbed the boy's arm and propelled him toward the door only to push him to the side before opening it. A quick look proved that there weren't any witnesses outside – none he could see. Heero nodded once and, keeping his revolver in plain sight, let Duo outside.

They reached the street seconds before a carriage came barreling around the corner to halt in front of them. The horses kicked at the rough treatment, but the driver ignored them. Wufei hopped down and grabbed Duo's trunk without a word, placing it on the back of the carriage. Heero stared at him in surprise.

"Did you find somewhere, then?" asked Heero.

"Yes," Wufei said sharply. "The last place they'd look. On Zechs' ship."

Heero's eyes widened in disbelief, and Duo sent confused looks between the two men. Wufei merely waved to the carriage and hopped back onto the driver's seat.

"Get in," said Wufei. "I'll drop you off there and come back as soon as things have cooled down. I guarantee you no one has been on that ship in weeks. They'll never think to look there as long as you stay inside and keep low."

After a short consideration, Heero nodded. He turned and urged Duo into the carriage before climbing in after him. They'd no more than sat down before the carriage rocked violently as the horses were spurred into a fast gallop.

Duo turned wide eyes on Heero and moved close to his husband's side. He doubted Wufei would hear them from outside, especially over the sound of the horses, but he wasn't taking any chances.

"What happened?" asked Duo. "What went wrong?"

"I'm not sure," Heero returned. "I thought I had them fooled at the meeting. Zechs, the current leader of the Hansa, confirmed that his men were behind the assassination attempt. He never would have done that if he'd known I didn't really want to help them kill the Queen. He must have learned afterward. Wufei caught me on my way back to the house and told me they were heading out to find me."

"You don't think Wufei had anything to do with it, do you?"

"No," said Heero, "because it wasn't just me the Hansa are after. Someone saw me with you today, so they're looking for both of us. Wufei didn't know why that would tell them I'm not a real traitor, so I know he wasn't a part of it."

Duo looked confused, and Heero sighed. "They must have learned of the wedding – they'd know no true traitor would get married while trying to kill the Queen. But Wufei didn't know about the marriage, so he's in the dark as to why the Hansa decided I was lying to them."

"So he still doesn't know," said Duo. "And now you've been found out so you can't prove yourself to the Queen..."

"I can."

Heero wrapped an arm over Duo's shoulders, drawing him into a comforting embrace.

"During the original meeting I did learn that Zechs and his men were aided by a spy in England, the lover of one of the Queen's ladies. He was the one who told them when to stage the attempt. If I can identify him, the Queen will know I'm telling her the truth. It would be better to bring Zechs himself, but even without him, I should be able to prove my innocence."

"But now the Hansa is after you," said Duo.

"Right," Heero nodded, "but I was planning to leave the country anyway. I doubt Zechs would follow me to England, especially given what I know. The only problem is that the seas are still frozen. We'll have to wait till spring to move."

"What do we do until then?"

"Return to the castle and wait it out." Heero smirked, giving Duo a light squeeze. "I guarantee you no army is going to cross that snow when they can just wait a month for it to melt. And right now the Hansa doesn't know I own Faulder Castle. So whether they find out or not, it's the best place to go until spring."

"What about Wufei?" asked Duo, wincing when Heero sent him a sharp look. "I mean, do they know he helped you? That he's helping us now?"

"They don't know, and they won't find out."

Heero's eyes narrowed as he said that, his gaze shifting the window. "If they knew, his entire life would be worthless. They won't find out. Anyone who does learn will die before he can breathe a word of our connection to Zechs."

Duo shivered a bit at that deadly threat, but it was still comforting in a way. "And this ship we're going to? Is it really a good idea to hide on a ship that _belongs_ to the person we're trying to hide from? That sounds crazy."

"It is crazy," said Heero, "and that's why it's the last place they'd look. Leave it to Wufei to think of something like that."

- - -

It was cold on the abandoned ship, Wufei having been correct in his guarantee that no one was tending it daily. There was a single lantern in the main cabin, and no real source of heat unless they wanted to risk a fire that might easily give them away. Heero might have protested the hiding spot if not for the fact that the Hansa was by now searching the entire city for him.

So he and Duo settled in the cabin to wait, Duo huddled close to the lantern to catch whatever heat it could give. Wufei promised to come back as soon as the search let up enough for them to move without being seen. In the meantime, he had to join the Hansa in searching the blocks surrounding his mother's home, that being the area most familiar to him. Duo wondered at that – why he and Heero couldn't have stayed in Wufei's home since he was going to be searching that area and could easily claim not to have found them.

After Wufei took a hurried leave, Duo brought up the question that had been bothering him. "If Wufei's going to be searching his own home, why did we have to move here?"

"He won't be looking alone," Heero explained. "They'll be splitting into groups of three or more to section off the city. That's why we had to move as quickly as possible. Once the Hansa spreads over a town, you'd do best not to be hiding _in_ that town – unless you can find a spot they aren't likely to look."

"And if they find us, they'll kill us."

Heero turned sharply at the cold way Duo had spoken. He frowned and moved over to sit next to him, pulling his husband close to his side. "They won't find us. But even if they did, I can kill a single search party. I'd just rather avoid it if possible."

"I don't understand why Wufei would be a part of a group like that," Duo admitted softly. "He told me it was to get his ship, but he doesn't seem like the type to help murderers. Petty smuggling maybe, but not assassins."

"There's more to the Hansa than that," said Heero. "By joining, Wufei guaranteed that no danger will ever come to his family. His father was a member before him, so he was expected to join the day he was born. It's not just a ring of murderers. It's..."

He paused, frowning at Duo's attentive expression. "How much do you know about politics?"

"Just what my father mentioned in passing," Duo admitted.

"Then I won't go into the beginnings of the Hansa," said Heero. "But the leaders change periodically. The last leader was Emilio Peacecraft – cousin of Bryton Catalonia. Zechs Merquis is his son."

Duo's eyes widened and he pulled back in disbelief. "But that side-"

"Is dead," Heero nodded, "officially. But the family remains quite active despite what the Queen would have England believe. If anything happens to her, Zechs Merquise is the next in line for the throne. That's why his hold in the Hansa is so strong at the moment. It's also why handing Zechs over to the Queen will clear my name in one move."

"She'd kill him even if you didn't have proof he was behind the assassination," Duo murmured. "Just to keep him from arguing about the bloodlines."

"I don't think she'd kill him outright," said Heero, "but she would be very grateful to have him in her control. Barring that, there's still the spy inside her court. He's the one who spurred the assassination attempt."

"But you don't know who he is – just that he's a lover of one of her ladies. Even if she believed you about there being a spy, you'd have to find out who it is and prove that he was behind it. How can you get proof when you don't even know who it is?"

"Zechs," said Heero. "Once I'm back in England, he'll send warning to his spy that I know about him. All I'd have to do is watch and see which lover disappears – that would be enough proof of guilt to suit the Queen."

Heero gave a wry smirk and brushed a finger over Duo's neck so the boy shivered and frowned at him. "She was rather fond of me, you know. Like you said, she has a penchant for her handsome lords."

Duo smirked at the conceit, shaking his head a little. "Now you agree with me. But that brings us back to how she'll react when she knows you married without her permission.""

"No," Heero murmured, leaning closer to Duo, "it brings us back to how we should spend our wedding night while we wait for a chance to escape. We have hours to wait, and that lantern won't keep us warm for long."

There was definite fire in that statement. Duo looked at the lantern so he wouldn't have to see Heero's intense eyes.

"I take it we're done talking about this," he said slowly.

"Unless you want me to talk about Zechs Merquise while I'm seducing you," Heero agreed.

Duo choked back a little laugh despite how flushed his face felt. "I guess it _would_ be better if we talked about each other."

"Or we could try not talking at all," whispered Heero.

Duo shot him a sharp look and raised an eyebrow at Heero's wide smirk. "Don't you dare tell me to shut up and strip. That's not seductive, it's rude."

"I wouldn't want you to think me rude," said Heero. "So I'll do the stripping, and you can talk to your heart's content."

And he did just that, shrugging off his coat and getting started on the buttons of his vest and shirt. Duo blushed and shifted further on the edge of the bed, putting more space between them with a slightly panicked expression.

"I'm not sure I want to do this here," Duo said quickly. "I mean, we're supposed to be hiding, and this is the enemy's ship. And the bed – who knows what's been done on this bed? I haven't actually done this before and, well, I don't really want my first time to be on a bed that-"

"Judging by how expensive the sheets are," Heero said calmly as he shrugged off his shirt, "I'd say what's been done on this bed is the same thing we're about to do."

Heero stood and began undoing his belt and Duo turned bright red, fidgeting and looking at everything but his husband.

"But we're supposed to be hiding," Duo protested. "We have to keep quiet and low so we don't-"

"I'll try not to make you scream too loudly," Heero promised.

"Scream?!" Duo blurted. "Are you kidding?"

He shot an appalled look at Heero and froze. Heero had finished undressing and Duo felt his face flame as he had a distinct sensation of déjà vu. He'd definitely seen this before, only this time he was on the bed and he couldn't turn and run for his room.

"Heero...I don't think-"

"You do think," Heero smirked, leaning over his panicked husband. "You think entirely too much. I should have kissed you first. You forget everything when we kiss, especially your shyness."

Duo swallowed and looked aside, feeling very uncomfortable but also a little disgruntled at the truth of that statement. "You don't have to sound so smug about it..."

"Duo?"

He waited until the boy looked up at him. Then he gave a dark smile and wrapped his arms over Duo's shoulders.

"Duo, I'm going to ride you like a wild stallion and break you to my will."

Five seconds followed that statement as Duo's face contorted into a dozen different expressions. Then he broke into laughter and forgot all about blushing.

"That," Duo blurted, "is the most absurd thing you've ever said."

Heero smiled at him and he grinned back, tilting his head back and inviting a warm kiss. His arms eased around Heero's bare back, his hands reaching up to catch warm hold in that thick brown hair. Their mouths met in a slow, almost affectionate kiss that gradually deepened to familiar passion.

Despite what Heero had said, Duo didn't exactly forget his shyness when his husband eased him further onto the bed. What he did was remind himself that this time they wouldn't be interrupted, this time he didn't have to feel guilty, this time he could do what he'd wanted to since he'd first felt Heero's lips on his. His tension drained away and he smiled against Heero's mouth, shifting his body so he could feel the one leaning over him.

"You'll get cold like that," Duo whispered, turning his face so his lips brushed Heero's ear. "Maybe you should be the one lying on the bed..."

"I'd rather even things out," Heero murmured back, "at least this time."

Sharp playful teeth nipped at his ear, and Heero shivered as his body reacted to both that stimulus and the cold air at his back. He pulled away just enough to draw the sheet up over both of them. Then he smirked down at Duo and started on the boy's clothing.

"Would you even know what to do if I were the one lying there?" Heero teased.

Duo gave a disgruntled frown, but it didn't last long. He leaned forward so he could taste Heero's neck, not caring if he hampered the man's progress on his clothing.

"I wouldn't know," Duo breathed, his hands smoothing over Heero's chest. "But you'll show me, won't you. You wouldn't use me without offering yourself in exchange."

That heated mouth was sending tremors over him, and Heero let out a sharp breath, pulling on Duo's braid till the boy was lying again. "Duo-"

One of those hands in his hair shifted down, trailing over his back, and Heero choked for a second before sending his husband a harried look.

"Duo, as much as I like what you're doing, I'm never going to get you undressed if you don't cooperate a little."

Duo sighed and ducked his head, letting go of Heero in favor of undoing his shirt. Though he didn't admit it, he'd preferred having Heero be the naked one. The idea of Heero looking at him was as embarrassing now as it had been when the man walked in on his bath. He didn't like being in such a vulnerable position. He'd be baring every flaw, every-

A hand slipped into his pants and Duo let out a little sound that was part fearful and part aroused, but mostly startled.

"_Heero_...!"

Heero had seen the unease growing over Duo's face, but that was gone now, replaced by a disconcerted sort of shock. If he hadn't known better, he'd expect Duo to tell him it wasn't proper for him to be touching him there. He gave a wry smile and withdrew his hand in favor of pushing down the boy's pants.

"Undo your hair."

The order was giving along with a hot numbing kiss that left Duo more than a little distracted. He licked his lips and gave Heero a frown when his husband pulled away. What was he planning to do while he waited for Duo to undo his hair? And didn't he want to undo it himself? It might have been conceited, but as far as Duo was concerned his hair was his most redeeming feature.

He shifted on the bed, pulling his braid over his shoulder, and sending a disappointed look at Heero.

"It's your loss," he muttered under his breath.

A smirk tugged at Heero's lips, but he pretended not to have heard that comment. While Duo's attention was on his hair, he nabbed the boy's discarded clothing and dropped them off the bed. Then he leaned down so his breath fell on Duo's pale chest, warming him but not touching him.

Duo shivered and froze, not even partly done with his hair. He reached an arm up to touch Heero, but stopped when his husband shook his head at him. Heero caught the edge of his braid and looked at it pointedly before ducking back to his chest. How he was supposed to focus on his hair when Heero was making his skin tingle, Duo had no idea. His hands went back to clutching his braid, but he could barely concentrate enough to continue undoing it.

Heero dropped a hand to Duo's waist, ghosting his fingers over him as he reached down. Duo flinched beneath him, and he sent a sultry smile up at the boy before kissing his chest, his tongue flicking out over sensitive skin. His questing hand had caught beneath Duo's knee and he lifted it, bending the boy's leg.

Forget concentrating, it was hard to breathe with Heero's mouth on his chest, even worse now that Heero was pressing flush against him. Duo groaned and left his hair. His arms snaked over Heero's shoulders, one hand threading in the man's hair and tugging lightly. Dark steamy blue eyes lifted to him and he pulled Heero up so he could kiss him. He bent his other leg, arching upward to increase the contact between them.

Heero shuddered from the friction of their bodies and tore his mouth away. He ducked his head against Duo's neck and bit him gently.

"I'm not taking you until your hair is spread beneath us," he whispered. "You can take your time if you want to, Duo, but I think you'll want to hurry after a while."

He pulled away, his tongue flicking over one pert nipple and toying with it until Duo writhed beneath him. Those arms tightened around him, fighting when he pushed his body far enough away so he could slip a hand between them.

"Nn!" Tossing his head, Duo pushed into the touch. He was torn between the feel of Heero's teeth toying his nipple and those warm fingers circling him with teasing pleasure. All he could think was to get closer, to make it stronger.

Heero raised his head long enough to take in Duo's expression. Then he caught the arms around him and pulled them free, despite the boy's protesting groan. He shifted back onto his knees and resumed his soft exploration, focused on Duo's stomach now instead of his chest. If anything, it made the boy writhe even more as his tongue flicked into his navel, his hand dropping to stroke him again with an even lighter touch than before.

Duo's body was burning, but it wasn't enough. He turned his face to stare hungrily down at Heero, his hips pushing upward for more. "Heero..."

The pleading voice stirred Heero to the point where he almost took him into his mouth right then. But he held himself from it, his eyes flicking up to stare into wide violet ones.

"Your hair," he reminded him, his voice deep and soft.

Duo groaned and managed a feeble glare. "Who cares about my hair? I want-"

That hand tightened for a moment, squeezing him roughly enough to make him gasp and arch his back. Then it was light again, tantalizing with only the barest promise of mind-blowing pleasure to come. Duo whimpered in a frustrated mix of impatience and resignation. He lifted shaking arms and fumbled at his braid. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had so much trouble undoing it. It might as well have been tied in knots rather than twisting folds.

The wait was as difficult for Heero as it was for Duo, but he knew it was better this way. He wanted to make sure that Duo was more than ready for him, and stoking the boy to such frustrated passion ensured that. He also wanted their first time to be perfect, and that meant having Duo's gorgeous hair spread out over the sheets.

**( - - - - - - - - -**

_Lemon cut in compliance with FFnet's ban on NC-17 content. To read the uncut text, go to my site:_

**www . geocities . com / arigatomina / bol-17 . html**

_Copy and paste url, Remove spaces_

**- - - - - - - - - - )**

- - -

They'd slept for a while after that violent consummation, both being far too exhausted to move. Once they woke, cleaning themselves was the first line of business. Heero reluctantly went to see about that, reluctant because cold water was the best they could get.

Duo was oddly quiet when Heero returned with a bucket and rag. Heero had washed already and was fully dressed, which made Duo in turn feel very much the slut considering he was dressed only in a sheet. He blushed and turned away when Heero set the bucket near the bed.

"You're not going to watch me, are you?" asked Duo.

Coming from the boy who'd ordered him to '_do it harder, Heero_' an hour earlier, the modesty seemed rather belated. Heero decided to keep that to himself. He flashed an amused smirk and turned his back to the bed.

"I'd think it's a little late to be shy," Heero commented.

"I don't care," Duo muttered.

He hurried to wash himself up, wincing when he found blood on his thighs as well as the more expected mess. There was no way he wanted Heero to see him like that. Once he was clean, he pulled the sheet back around him and let out a relieved sigh. Heero hadn't so much as peaked at him.

"I think I tore a little," Duo said quietly. "Is that normal?"

Heero winced and turned back to pull Duo into a warm embrace. "No, it's not normal. We were far too rough for your first time. I promise, next time I'll prepare you better."

"But it won't hurt anything," Duo pressed, "nothing permanent?"

He was afraid they wouldn't be able to do it again. Heero smirked when he realized that, pressing a wry kiss to the boy's temple. Duo was far too cute when showed his innocence.

"No," Heero promised, "nothing permanent. It'll ache for a while, but you'll be fine."

"Good," Duo sighed. He pulled Heero down onto the bed, not caring that Heero still had his shoes on. Once they were close and warm, he gave a happy smile and shifted to lie on his husband.

"Before you doze off again, I have something to give you."

Duo blinked, lifting his head with a curious expression. "What is it? And why didn't you give it to me earlier?"

"I didn't give it to you earlier," Heero smirked, "because I just found it. As to your other question, it's a ring."

Duo's breath caught in his throat and he swallowed roughly when he saw the emblem on the thick ring Heero handed to him. The crest was so old he couldn't make it out, but that was just how he remembered it being. He took it with shaking hands.

"How did you know?" asked Duo. "I didn't tell you my father had a ring like this."

"There's a name on the inside band," Heero explained. He tilted Duo's grip and showed him the old etching. "Did he never show you that?"

"He couldn't take it off..." Duo gulped again, fear and eagerness conflicting in him. "Where did you find it?"

"In a storage room on this ship. Meaning this _was_ the ship your father was taken to England on. Someone in the Hansa, possibly Zechs himself, must have had a hand in his abduction."

Duo turned hurt eyes to Heero, his hand curling around the ring. "But if the Hansa was part of it, then...Wufei would have known all along. Why didn't he-"

"He didn't know," said Heero. "I'm sure he didn't. Wufei might be a member of the order, but he doesn't have a hand in even half of their dealings. If he'd had any idea, he would have told you as soon as he knew who you were."

Duo sighed in relief, curling on Heero's chest and slipping the ring onto his thumb, where it just managed to catch well enough to stay on. He hadn't wanted to believe that Wufei would be part of such a thing, but so far this Hansa was sounding like the evilest organization he'd ever heard of. He didn't care if they had their reasons for doing the things they did. They were the ones who'd taken his father away from him.

Heero remained awake after Duo dozed off. He knew they might have to move quickly, so he had to be ready when the order came. Falling asleep earlier, even if it were only for an hour or so, had been bad enough. He wasn't about to risk doing it again. So he spent his time watching Duo sleep and memorizing the boy's features. It was an occupation he didn't thin he'd get bored of for years to come.

He was still awake when someone rapped on the door. Duo blinked sleepy eyes at him, and Heero shook his head as he got off the bed and retrieved his revolver.

The sight of the weapon woke Duo very quickly. He pulled the sheets close to his chest and sat tight against the wall to put himself out of the line of fire, just in case.

"Who is it?" asked Heero.

"Wufei."

Duo's eyes widened in horror and he jerked the sheet up even higher. He opened his mouth to tell Heero to wait, but was far too late. Heero didn't hesitate to open the door and let his best friend in.

"We need to-"

Wufei ground to a halt when he caught sight of Duo, taking in the boy's terrified eyes, pale face, and lack of dress. Then he turned to Heero and decked him.

"Heero!"

Duo jumped off the bed, flinching when his husband struck the wall and slumped to the floor from the force of that sudden punch to the face. He took the sheet with him, but modesty was the last thing on Duo's mind. Wufei stepped toward Heero and Duo snapped around, glaring daggers at the black-haired captain.

Heero lifted his head just in time to see Duo hit Wufei. Wufei choked from the blow to his stomach and stumbled away. Heero gave a slight nod, remembering how he'd felt when Duo had hit him that way. The boy might have been slender, but he packed a punch when he was angry.

"You stay away from him," Duo growled, glaring at Wufei. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, and I know I should have, but I didn't and I'm sorry, but that doesn't give you any right to hit my husband, so you just stay away from him or you'll hear from me! Heero didn't defile me or dishonor me or anything like that, we're married so you don't have any excuse to hit him, if you want to get angry at someone, direct it at me and leave Heero out of it."

Wufei raised an eyebrow at the ranting boy and shot a droll look over at Heero, who was climbing back to his feet. He sniffed at his friend and frowned at Duo.

"I assumed you were married," said Wufei. "That's why I didn't geld him with my sword."

Duo paled, and Heero smirked, brushing a hand over his bloodied lip.

"You nearly broke my jaw," said Heero.

Wufei stared at him for a long minute before giving his old friend a smirk. "I meant to."

He turned to the pile of clothing on the floor, which obviously belonged to the sheet-covered Duo. He picked it up and handed it to the boy, a pained look flashing past his face before he forced a smile onto his lips.

"Get dressed," said Wufei. "Then I'll help you two escape. We're going to set fire to this ship, so don't leave anything behind."

Duo turned and watched Wufei leave the cabin, his expression filled with guilt and a hint of confusion. Then he frowned over at Heero.

"Would he really have killed you if he thought you'd dishonored me?" he asked.

Heero smirked and shook his head. "No, a quick death would be too light a punishment. He'd have gelded me and _then_ made me marry you. Wufei takes honor very seriously."

_- - -  
TBC_

_--notes--  
_It's been years (1 or 2 I'm not sure which) since I wrote for this story. Well, enough is enough. I'm finishing this story in the next year – and yes, it's still going to be 28 parts.


End file.
